


Sent✔

by beautifulllyinpain



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, I know its a textfic but it's worth giving it a shot, I suck at tags, Its not an average textfic, Love, M/M, Sad, Slow Burn, Textfic, Texting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:14:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 121
Words: 83,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25013782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beautifulllyinpain/pseuds/beautifulllyinpain
Summary: Hyungwon sends unending messages to his fiance, Minhyuk, in hopes for a reply one day.𝗛𝘆𝘂𝗻𝗴𝘄𝗼𝗻:𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘺𝘶𝘬𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶...
Relationships: Chae Hyungwon/Lee Hoseok | Wonho, Chae Hyungwon/Lee Minhyuk
Comments: 55
Kudos: 118





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> I'll warn you guys right now that this story is a real slow-burn (but it is completed!). Although some things may not make sense now, I promise that as the chapters go on things will slowly be revealed. I hope you'll enjoy this story💜

* * *

**Minhyukkie 💙**

_Today_

**Minhyukkie** **💙:**  
are you sleeping my little turtle?

 **Hyungwon:**  
;ittle turtle 🙃  
i don't remember you saying that last night  
screaming**

 **Minhyukkie** **💙** **:  
** thanks for ruining the conversation  
bye

 **Hyungwon:**  
awe baby no come back  
Baby  
BABY  
my little pup  
MinHYukkie  
My SUNSHINE

 **Minhyukkie💙:**  
what

 **Hyungwon:**  
i love you

 **Minhyukkie💙:  
** :/

 **Hyungwon:**  
i love you :(

 **Minhyukkie💙:  
** i love you too  
so much💕  
what time will you be home? i'm lonely😢

 **Hyungwon:  
** i'll be home soon baby, ok?

 **Minhyukkie💙:  
** okay ❤

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:  
** this feeling is odd  
is it stupid of me to hope for you to reply?  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
  
baby?  
minhyukkie?  
please answer me  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
i love you  
 _Sent✔_  
  


* * *


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
hi minhyuk  
it's been 2 weeks now...  
honestly, how did 2 weeks pass by so fast?  
 _Sent✔  
_.  
.  
.

i think shownu hyung thinks something is wrong with me?  
because he and kihyun have visited me nonstop this past week  
now they're bringing me out  
more so kihyun threatened me  
you know how he is  
i'll talk to you later minhyukkie!  
 _Sent✔_

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
guess what minhyuk?  
shownu hyung and kihyun bought me a carton of banana milk today!  
i suddenly thought back to the first time you tried it and straight out spit it at my face  
i also remember you calling me a fetus for drinking it  
the next thing i know both shownu hyung and kihyun are hugging me on the couch trying to comfort me...  
i hate this   
i hate how every little thing now reminds me of you!  
i hate you minhyuk  
how dare you enter my life and leave just like that!   
are you happy watching me suffer pathetically like this?!  
i hate you!  
 _Sent✔  
.  
_.  
.  
i'm sorry minhyukkie  
i didn't mean any of it  
i love you baby  
minhyukkie i miss you...  
 _Sent✔_

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
it's thunder-storming now minhyuk...  
i hope you're okay wherever you are  
you know what's funny?  
i actually jumped out of bed and searched the whole house for you because i know how much you hate thunderstorms  
until I realized you not here   
today would probably be the first time that i actually hate thunderstorms too  
i want you to be in my arms while I protect you like old times  
i want you to cuddle up to me and hold me tight while i comfort you  
i hate that I can't do that now  
 _Sent✔_

  
_Missed call at 03:48_

**Hyungwon:**  
you're never gonna pick up are you, minhyuk?  
 _Sent✔_

  
_Missed call at 03:52_

**Hyungwon:**  
i tried in hopes that you actually would answer  
i just want to hear your voice again, baby  
just once more...  
have i ever told you how much i love your voice?  
i don't think i have because i always took it for granted thinking i would always get to hear it  
i love how you are able to say anything and make it seem like everything will be okay  
you make me strong and you always believe in me...  
FUCK  
just once more, minhyuk  
please, i want to hear you just once more  
 _Sent✔_  
  


* * *


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

** Jooheon **

_missed call at 18:47_

**Jooheon:**  
Hyungwon  
pick up the phone

 **Hyungwon:**  
what do you want

 **Jooheon:**  
just pick up the phone

 **Hyungwon:**  
since when were you concern?  
  


_missed call at 18:50_

**Jooheon:**  
pick up the goddamn phone chae hyungwon!  
  


 **Hyungwon:**  
or what?   
  


**Jooheon:  
** i don't appreciate you being rude right now  
 **  
**

 **Hyungwon:  
** i say take your fucking concern somewhere else  
i don't need it especially not from you

 **Jooheon:**  
excuse me?  
i'm trying to look out for you

 **Hyungwon:**  
and i'm trying to tell you to fuck off

 **Jooheon:**  
you're so fucking selfish you know that?

 **Hyungwon:**  
unless you have something to tell me that i don't already know about  
kindly fuck off :)

* * *


	7. Chapter 7

* * *

** Ki🐹 **

**Ki🐹:**  
be ready by 8

 **Hyungwon:**  
i wanna sleep

 **Ki🐹:  
** don't make me ask shownu to carry you out  
and you know i'm not joking

**Hyungwon:**  
can't you respect the fact that i want to sleep

**Ki🐹:  
** i have respected that 'fact' for the last month  
stop being a whiny bitch and get your ass ready by 8

**Hyungwon:**  
can i at least know where you're kidnapping me to

**Ki🐹:  
** first of all it is not called kidnapping if you're willingly going  
do not use that term loosely

**Hyungwon:**  
I AM NOT WILLING GOING

**Ki🐹:**  
as long as you don't have your hands and legs tied i refuse to see it as kidnapping

**Hyungwon:**  
if shownu hyung carries me out of bed against my will then it is kidnapping

**Ki🐹:  
** like i said  
i refuse to see it as kidnapping if your hands and legs aren't tied ✋

 **Hyungwon:**  
i hate you

 **Ki🐹:  
** you hate homo sapiens in general 🤷‍♂️

 **Hyungwon:  
** too shay  
fine  
where are you taking me

**Ki🐹:  
** someplace to loosen up

 **Hyungwon:**  
WOW👀  
i didn't think you would know that term

 **Ki🐹:  
** you better have your ass waiting outside by the time i'm there  
shownu's with me

 **Hyungwon:**  
it's fucking freezing outside

 **Ki🐹:  
** 8:00 p.m.  
on the fucking dot

* * *

** Nunu🐻 **

**Hyungwon:  
** shownu hyung

 **Nunu🐻:  
** no

 **Hyungwon:**  
i hate you

* * *


	8. Chapter 8

* * *

**Minhyukkie💙**

**Hyungwon** :  
mmihyk  
ninkhyuk  
minhytjkk  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.

 **Hyungwon:**  
►⚪️─────────────  
0:03 21:03

"Minhyyuuk _~ Hellooo??"_

►⚪️─────────────  
0:26 21:04

_"Pick up your phone Minhyuk! I'm with Shownu hyung and Kihyun! It's very noisy!"_

►⚪️─────────────  
0:12 21:03

 _"It would've been better if you_ — _you were here, baby..."_

►⚪️─────────────  
0:11 21:04

_"I...think...I'm ti—tipsy..."_

►⚪️─────────────  
0:07 21:05

_"No! Minhyukkie hates Hyungwonnie drunk! M'sor—sorry—Minhyukkie!"_

►⚪️─────────────  
0:09 21:05

 _"M's_ — _sorry Minhyukkie... If you come get me I will stop drinking..."_

►⚪️─────────────  
0:21 21:10

 _"I miss you so much... I p_ — _promise to be a good_ — _boyfriend_ — _No! Husband! M'suppose to be y_ — _your husband!"_

►⚪️─────────────  
0:06 21:12

 _"I want_ — _hey! Kih_ — _"_

* * *


	9. Chapter 9

* * *

Hyungwon manages to snatch his phone back from Kihyun who obviously noticed the younger drunk-calling someone. Kihyun had brought him out tonight because he knows how coped-up he was before this. Basically, he only ever went to two places in total the last months—his office and his house. So Kihyun thought why not a night out to help the younger.

Apparently, that seemed to be a huge mistake now after witnessing Hyungwon ordering drinks after drinks. And knowing Hyungwon with his low tolerance to alcohol, things are going South very fast.

"Hyungwon!" Kihyun shouts at the younger who takes off, running out the club with the phone clutched tightly against his chest. Kihyun knows he can't leave him just like that especially in his drunk state. And so Kihyun runs after him immediately.

It doesn't take him long for him to find Hyungwon. He sees the taller male sitting on the kerbside with his phone against his ear.

"Hyungwon, who are you calling?" Kihyun asks, concerned for the wasted younger. Hyungwon pulls the phone away from his ear and frowns deeply, completely ignoring Kihyun's question.

"He is not picking up, Hyung!" the said male complaints and Kihyun instantly knows who he's trying to call. There's only one person that comes to mind and of course, Hyungwon would be trying to call him in this state of his.

"Hyun—"

"Tell him to pick up!" he grumbles, shoving the phone at Kihyun's face. He sees the red phone icons indicating the multiple calls he had made just from tonight and he's perturbed.

"Kihyun?" Shownu calls, running towards them from the club. " What's going on?" He sees a worked-up Kihyun looking down at an agitated Hyungwon.

"He's trying to call Minhyuk again..." Shownu's expression instantly falls. He looks over at the younger who redials the number and has the phone glued to his ear with hopeless anticipation. 

"Hey, Wonnie," Shownu gently calls as he bends down to the younger. He can see the tears streaming down his already flushed cheeks while he waits for the person to pick up. The sad truth is, Minhyuk will never pick up. "Why don't you pass me your ph—"

"No! Minhyuk needs to pick up!" he stubbornly says. He grouses in annoyance when it goes straight to voicemail. Again. "Tell Minhyuk to pick up the goddamn phone!" Hyungwon begs Shownu now. Shownu shakes his head, feeling helpless at his request.

Kihyun stands at the back, fighting his own tears at this scene. Hyungwon was never one to show his raw emotions especially when he's sad, but when he does Kihyun finds it hard to hold back his own emotions. This only further proves how broken and upset Hyungwon is if he is able to cry this openly in front of them.

Kihyun always did tell Hyungwon to show a bit more emotion. But now, Kihyun admits that he hates seeing Hyungwon like this.

"You know I can't do that," Shownu tells him gently.

"Why not! Tell him to call me!" he huffs. "I miss him! I want to hear his voice again! I want to hear _my_ Minhyuk!"

"Hyungwon," Kihyun calls sternly as he bends down. "That's enough."

"Fuck you! I just want Minhyuk!" he screams at Kihyun. This was enough for Kihyun to slap the younger without thinking twice. He doesn't know if he did it out impulse from his rude behavior or if it was because he felt insulted by Hyungwon's selfishness.

He isn't the only one hurting. And Hyungwon— _sometimes_ —fails to acknowledge that.

Shownu gasps and Hyungwon stops his complains but stares in sheer shock at Kihyun who later on sighs heavily. This was the first time the elder had ever laid hands on him.

"Fuck you," Kihyun says and moves forward to hug the younger. Shownu seconds later wraps his large arms around the both of them, cocooning them warmly. They both silently cry as their youngest sob out loud in heart-breaking agony.


	10. Chapter 10

**Minhyukkie💙**

**Hyungwon:  
** i'm not proud of what i did...  
i know i have a low alcohol tolerance  
but that's not a good enough excuse for my behavior last night  
i disturbed you a lot didn't i, minhyuk?  
i'm sorry  
it's just hard  
i didn't ever think it would be _this_ hard  
even after months it still feels like you just left yesterday  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
i understand now why you don 't like me drinking  
i'm just not myself after that  
really minhyuk, how did you stand me when i first got drunk?  
i remember i was awful to you  
yet you were so patient  
you cried that night and yet you still stayed with me  
you know kihyun is also a patient person in some sense  
but he slapped me last night  
and i know why  
i deserved it anyways  
 _Sent✔  
_.  
.  
.  
i went overboard  
i couldn't control myself  
they said alcohol was supposed to numb the pain  
but why did i feel the opposite effect?  
why did my pain only increase?  
i know that i'm not the only one hurting  
but don't you think i deserve to be the way i am because you mean so much more to me than them?  
they're your friends, i get it  
but i'm your fiancé, your boyfriend, your love  
you're my everything too  
how do you or anyone else expect me to ever be the same me after this?  
how do you expect me to hurt the same way they do when i've shared everything with you?  
i can't minhyuk  
i'm sorry but i just can't  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
my head still hurts  
i'll come back later  
 _Sent✔_


	11. Chapter 11

** X **

_Ki🐹 created group "X"_

_Ki🐹 added You_

_Ki🐹 added Nunu🐻_

_Ki🐹 added I.M. Kyun🐺_

_Ki🐹 added Jooheon_

**Ki🐹:  
** welcome :)

 **Nunu🐻:  
** Hi!

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:  
** why is the group named 'X'?

 **Ki🐹:  
** dunno  
can't think of anything else

 **Jooheon:  
** lame

 **Ki🐹:  
** you think of something then

 **Jooheon:  
** you need to make me an admin first

_Ki🐹 made Jooheon the group admin_

_Jooheon changed the subject from "X" to "Monster"_

**I.M. Kyun🐺:  
** why "Monster"?

 **Ki🐹:  
 _@I.M. Kyun🐺_** why do you have a lot of questions?

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:  
** i'm a curious little bird

 **Jooheon:  
** ** _@I.M. Kyun🐺_** dunno  
can't think of anything else

 **Ki🐹:  
** fuck you **_@Jooheon_**

 **Hyungwon:**  
i get woken up to this nonsense

 **Ki🐹:  
** glad to see you're alive

 **Hyungwon:  
** unfortunately  
why did you create a new group?

 **Ki🐹:  
** because no one uses the old one

 **Hyungwon:  
** that's a stupid reason

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:  
** he has a point tho hyungwon hyung  
i mean  
that group's been silent for a few months...

 **Nunu🐻:  
** i don't see anything wrong with it

 **Hyungwon:  
** of course you don't  
you're always optimistic hyung

 **Nunu🐻:  
** what i'm trying to say is  
i understand that you are all uncomfortable in the other group  
and i get where Kihyun is coming from  
he just wants to create a new platform where we don't feel uneasy to talk in

 **Ki🐹:  
** at least someone gets me🥰  
😊**

 **Jooheon:  
** ahhh  
i get it  
makes sense

 **Hyungwon:  
 _@Jooheon_** i don't remember anyone asking for your opinion

 **Jooheon:  
** i'm in this group  
which means my opinions are always needed

 **Hyungwon:  
 _@Ki🐹_** why is he in this group?

 **Ki🐹:  
** because he's our friend

 **Hyungwon:  
** no  
he's _your_ friend  
not mine

 **Ki🐹:  
** ffs Hyungwon!

 **Hyungwon:  
 _@Ki🐹_** make me an admin

 **Ki🐹:  
** no

 **Hyungwon:  
** YOO KIHYUN

 **Ki🐹:  
** CHAE HYUNGWON

 **Hyungwon:  
** FUCK YOU

 **Ki🐹:  
** FUCK YOU: The Sequel

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:  
** why is this how we bond...

* * *

**Ki🐹**

**Hyungwon:  
** make me an admin

 **Ki🐹** :  
hello to you too

**Hyungwon:**   
**make me an admin  
**

**Ki🐹:**  
bolding the words make no difference you know

 **Hyungwon:**  
make  
me  
an  
admin

 **Ki🐹:  
**...   
no

 **Hyungwon:  
** WHY THE FUCK NOT

 **Ki🐹:  
** 1\. you've been rude to me  
2\. if i made you the admin then you will remove jooheon from the group

 **Hyungwon:  
** good that you understand my intentions  
makes life so much easier  
now make me an admin

 **Ki🐹:  
** i told you no

 **Hyungwon:  
** you made jooheon a fucking admin

 **Ki🐹:  
** that's because i know he will not do anything stupid

 **Hyungwon:  
** wow  
i'm glad your 3 years of friendship with him meant more than our 7 years of friendship  
i repeat  
7 full long years of yoo kihyun and chae hyungwon being bffs!

 **Ki🐹:  
** please never use the term _'bffs'_ again  
you have no idea how hard i cringed

 **Hyungwon:**  
our _7 years_ of precious friendship😌❤  
  


 **Ki🐹:  
** those 7 years taught me enough about you :)

 **Hyungwon:  
** that i'm a sweetheart?

 **Ki🐹:  
** if today is opposite day then yes, you're a mother fucking sweetheart

 **Hyungwon:  
** make me an admin😘

 **Ki🐹:  
** go back to sleep Hyungwon

* * *


	12. Chapter 12

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
happy birthday baby❤  
i really should go see you but i just can't bring myself to do so  
i'm sorry...  
honestly  
besides that very day, i dread this day as well  
maybe because it reminds me how many months have passed since everything  
or maybe because just a year ago i didn't ever think to be in this situation  
i never thought i would be sitting alone in our house when i proposed  
did you ever foresee this happening when you said you will marry me?  
if you did you would've said no  
or maybe you just didn't want to hurt me  
is that why you said _yes,_ minhyuk?  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
i love you baby  
do you know that?  
do you know that living without you is actually so hard?  
it's so dark minhyukkie  
life's been so dark  
i thought my life was simply working and trying to gain the trust of my father  
i thought having you was just another addition to my life  
i needed a partner, that's what i thought  
fuck was i wrong  
i was so fucking wrong!  
you were more than just my life partner  
you were my light, my sunshine  
believe it or not you make every day easier to live  
why did i have to realize it so late?  
i hate myself so much for this  
i took you for granted  
i always thought i would have you  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
i love you baby  
i love you so much  
please know this  
please  
even when i didn't show it much  
even when it seems like i don't appreciate you  
i really do  
i really love you so much  
i'm sorry i didn't say it enough then  
but if you give me the chance now  
please come back  
i'll love you so much better  
i'll cherish you with all my heart  
 _Sent✔_  
i jus|  
 _10:43 pm_

* * *

Hyungwon's attention immediately shifts to the door where the sound of his doorbell is heard. He puts his phone down and answers the door. At this point, Hyungwon isn't surprised to see the man at the door, but he does wonder why it took the male longer to see him—especially today.

"I just visited _him_ ," Kihyun starts. "Shownu did tell me to give you more space, but I just—I'm sorry I don't feel good doing that. So, I—" Kihyun's words get cut short when Hyungwon surprisingly pulls the shorter male into a hug. Kihyun is of course taken aback but he hugs back seconds later, sighing in relief.

"Thank you," Hyungwon croaks. "Thank you, Kihyun."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Kihyun asks moments later. Hyungwon shakes his head.

"I can't bring myself to." Kihyun immediately hugs him again when he sees the tears glossing the younger's eyes. Yes, all this is new for the older who wasn't very much used to the emotional side of Hyungwon, and maybe that's why he wants to be closer to him, to comfort him the best he can.

"It's fine. It's fine. You don't have to."

"He won't hate me, right Kihyun?"

"It's Minhyuk we're talking about. He can never hate you."

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
i jus|  
i j|  
i|  
kihyun stopped by  
he fell asleep on the couch  
he really is a good person  
i honestly don't know what i would do without him...  
i don't know what i'll do without shownu and changkyun too  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
i'll visit you soon minhyuk  
i'll bring your favorites too  
i promise  
one last time before the day ends  
happy birthday my love  
i love you  
❤  
 _Sent✔_

* * *

  
  



	13. Chapter 13

* * *

** Monster **

**I.M Kyun🐺:**  
CONGRATULATIONS HYUNGWON HYUNG!!!🥳

 **Hyungwon:**  
it's barely been an hour  
news sure does spread fast

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
and you look really handsome hyung!

 **Hyungwon:**  
 ** _@_** ** _I.M Kyun🐺_** are you somewhere in the building?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
i wish  
i'm still at uni

**I.M Kyun🐺:**

😍😍😍

 **Hyungwon:**  
SHownu hYung😩

 **Nunu🐻:**  
:)  
congrats again!

 **Hyungwon:**  
first kidnapping me  
now taking pictures behind my back?

 **Nunu🐻:**  
technically i would have to be in front of you to be able to get that shot😗

 **Hyungwon:**  
hYUng!!

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
 ** _@Nunu🐻_** do you have more?

**Nunu🐻:**

**Jooheon:**  
you have never looked any more soulless

 **Hyungwon:**  
🙃

 **Ki🐹:**  
wait why is my phone suddenly flooded with hyungwon's picture?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
because hyung looks so handsome😍

 **Ki🐹:**  
ahh  
congrats hyungwonnie!!  
you're the fucking co-ceo now!!!  
i'm so proud of you!

**Nunu🐻:**

**Hyungwon:**  
shownu hyung sTop😩

 **Nunu🐻:**  
that's the last one i promise

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
i have been blessed😌✊

 **Ki🐹:**  
you look really tired hyungwon  
you should rest

 **Hyungwon:**  
please  
you know i want nothing more than to sleep  
but i can't  
i have a meeting to go to in 10 mins

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
my poor hyung :(

 **Ki🐹:**  
at least rest after this meeting

 **Hyungwon:**  
you don't have to tell me twice

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
when are we getting a treat hyung?😊

 **Hyungwon:**  
what is this treat i'm unfamiliar with🤔

 **Ki🐹:**  
upon your promotion to becoming co-CEO, a treat for everyone would be very nice

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
yes yes!

 **Hyungwon:**  
...

 **Nunu🐻:**  
bbq would be nice

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
i was thinking more of steak tho hyung

 **Jooheon:**  
but bbq sounds better

 **Hyungwon:**  
ok  
when you guys have decided what you want then come and pester me

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
you're the best hyung!  
💙

 **Jooheon:**  
wow i didn't think he was up for it

 **Nunu🐻:**  
 ** _@Hyungwon_** don't forget to bring the audit files the ones my team brought in yesterday

 **Hyungwon:**  
🙃👌

 **Ki🐹:**  
okok  
you 2 should leave now or you'll be late for your meeting  
also i'm with changkyun on steak

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
2:2

 **Hyungwon:**  
i am not going to be the tiebreaker  
so you people better make up your minds  
  


* * *

** Shownu Hyung🧸 **

**Changkyun:**  
hyung has the meeting started

 **Shownu Hyung🧸:**  
in 5 mins  
anything you need?

 **Changkyun:**  
do you have more pics hyung😀

**Shownu Hyung🧸:**

  
**Changkyun:**  
😍😘

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

* * *

**Minhyukkie💙**

**Hyungwon:**  
i finally made it minhyuk  
i'm finally the co-CEO  
i can really take care of you now  
we can start our own family  
and you don't have to worry about anything because i will take care of everything  
i can take care of our family  
you remember, right minhyuk?  
the family we've always wanted?  
we can adopt 2 children just like you wanted  
and we can even get 2 girls because i know you really want them  
 _Sent✔  
.  
.  
._

come back minhyuk  
i want to show you what a great husband i can be for you  
you promised to wait for me until i get this position  
you promised a future with me  
you told me you had faith in me that my father will make me the co-CEO  
i finally made it but where are you?  
you promised to stay by my side minhyuk and you wanted to be the first person to know  
it's cruel to break promises you know  
you shouldn't have promised anything in the first place!  
because now i'm pathetically holding onto them  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
i'm lost  
hopeless even  
wishing you would just come back  
and hug me and tell me you're proud of me  
if only it were that simple, right?  
 _Sent✔_

* * *


	15. Chapter 15

* * *

** Monster **

**I.M Kyun🐺:**  
hyungsssssssss

 **Jooheon:**  
?

 **Nunu🐻:**  
yes?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
i missed the bus😩  
i dont have transport home...  
wil anyone be a kind soul and come pick me up🥺🥺

 **Ki🐹:**  
i'm so sorry changkyunnie  
i have a client to meet soon

 **Jooheon:**  
are you willing to wait another 15 mins?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
yes!

 **Jooheon:**  
ok  
i'm coming

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
i'll be waiting by the fountain

 **Nunu🐻:**  
thank you jooheon

 **Ki🐹:**  
text me when you get in the car

 **Jooheon:**  
👌

* * *

** Jooheon **

**Hyungwon:**  
changkyun better be back safe

 **Jooheon:**  
shocker  
you're texting me first

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm serious Jooheon

 **Jooheon:**  
ofc ofc  
when have you never been serious with me🙂

 **Hyungwon:**  
in case i haven't been clear enough  
i hate you with every gut i have   
and if anything happens to changkyun   
even a tiny scratch

 **Jooheon :**  
jesus hyungwon  
i told i'll bring him back safe  
if you're so worried why dont u just pick him up yourself 🙄

 **Hyungwon**  
i'm in a middle of a meeting  
i would be much relieved if anyone else picked him up honestly

 **Jooheon:**  
you're so dramatic  
everyone else trusts me  
why the fuck can't you do the same

 **Hyungwon:  
** you haven't exactly given me a reason to trust you🙃  
plus trusting you would be the last thing i'll do  
don't act so innocent  
changkyun better not have one fucking scratch

* * *

** I.M Kyun🐺 **

**Hyungwon:**  
are you still by the fountain?

**I.M Kyun🐺:**

sadly :(

 **Hyungwon:**  
text me if anything happens okay?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
uni's pretty safe hyung  
there's nothing to worry

 **Hyungwon:**  
i mean it changkyun  
even when you're with jooheon  
just text me okay?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
is everything okay hyung?  
you're worrying me

 **Hyungwon:**  
please changkyun  
don't argue with me on this

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
okie then hyung  
i will  
don't worry!  
 _Read✔_ _✔_  
.  
.  
.  
jooheon hyung is here!

 **Hyungwon:**  
take care

* * *

** Jooheon **

**Jooheon:**

he's safe  
unharmed  
not with a single scratch  
you happy now?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i hope this won't be a regular thing

 **Jooheon:**  
don't i at least get a thank you?

 **Hyungwon:**  
🦶  
you get a foot for good luck

* * *

**Monster**

**I.M Kyun🐺:**

_**@Jooheon** _😊😊

 **Jooheon:**  
🥰❤

 **Nunu🐻:**  
i'm hungry now

 **Hyungwon:**  
you just ate

 **Ki🐹:**  
i haven't eaten🥺

 **Nunu🐻:**  
perfect  
hyungwon hasn't eaten as well!  
let's meet up with changkyun and jooheon

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
that would be so nice hyung!!

 **Hyungwon:**  
hyung i still have work to do  
and i'm not hungry

 **Nunu🐻:  
** that's not an excuse   
i'm waiting outside your office  
come out

 **Hyungwon:**  
goddamit

 **Ki🐹:**  
i'll be waiting in my lobby 😙  
  


* * *


	16. Chapter 16

* * *

**Monster**

**Ki🐹:  
** guys   
my friend hoseok will be moving to Seoul next week!

 **Nunu🐻:**  
you seem excited

 **Ki🐹:**  
very!  
i missed that dude  
it's been years since we saw each other

 **Jooheon:**  
permanently?

 **Ki🐹:**  
yes!!  
his company transferred him to their branch here

 **Jooheon:**  
nice  
he's going to love it here

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
what does he do, hyung?

 **Ki🐹:**  
 ** _@Jooheon_** that's what i told him  
 **@I.M Kyun🐺** he's in the Research & Development team for a clothing company

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
woww😮  
that's so cool!

 **Hyungwon:**  
wait hold up

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
don't worry hyungwon hyung you're still my #1 inspiration 😊

 **Hyungwon:**  
that's really kind of you changkyunnie  
 _ **@Ki🐹**_ you know hoseok??  
how???

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
 _ **@Hyungwon**_ 😊❤

 **Ki🐹:**  
he's my childhood friend

 **Hyungwon:**  
he is?  
then why weren't we childhood friends?

 **Ki🐹:**  
huh?

 **Hyungwon:**  
you said you and hoseok were childhood friends

 **Ki🐹:**  
yea...

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok and i were childhood friends too

 **Ki🐹:**  
that can't be right  
i'm not from Gwangju btw

 **Hyungwon:**  
i know which is odd because i don't remember hoseok telling me that he was from Goyang-si  
also he's never mentioned knowing you before🤔  
i mean   
i'm sure i've mentioned you multiple times to him but he never once told me anything

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
😮

 **Ki🐹:**  
 _ **@Hyugwon**_ how do you know hoseok initially?

 **Hyungwon:**  
he and i are from Gwangju   
we went to the same school and dance academy together

 **Ki🐹:**  
that doesn't sound right either  
what's his full name?

 **Hyungwon:**  
Jung Hoseok  
why

 **Ki🐹:**  
...  
 ** _@Hyungwon_** i literally hate you

 **Hyungwon:**  
i can name you multiple things you hate me for  
you need to be more specific

 **Ki🐹:  
** you made me think for a moment that only one hoseok resides in the whole of Korea

 **** **Nunu🐻:**  
lmao😂

 **Ki🐹:**  
the hoseok i'm talking about is **Lee Hoseok** you dumb dimwit🙃

 **Jooheon:**  
😂😂😂😂😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
...  
oh

 **Jooheon:**  
😂😂😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
 _ **@Ki🐹**_ make me an admin

 **Ki🐹:**  
ffs what is it for now

 **Hyungwon:**  
1\. remove Jooheon  
2\. remove you

 **Jooheon:**  
 _ **@Hyungwon**_ the feeling's mutual

_Ki🐹 removed You from the group_

**I.M Kyun🐺:**  
my stomach hurts😂

 **Nunu🐻:**  
 _ **@Ki🐹**_ you do know that he doesn't actually care right

 **Ki🐹:**  
just let me live a little

 **Jooheon:**  
when will hoseok be arriving?

 **Ki🐹:**  
this tuesday

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
he'll be here in time for your birthday!  
will we get to see him at your party?

 **Ki🐹:**  
ofc!

 **I.M Kyun🐺:  
** yay!  
also when do you plan on adding back hyungwon hyung?

 **Ki🐹:**  
after i grow an inch

 **Nunu🐻:**  
you just self-proclaimed yourself as 'short'

 **Ki🐹:**  
 _ **@Nunu🐻**_ don't make me remove you too

* * *


	17. Chapter 17

* * *

** Ki🐹 **

**Hyungwon:**  
so my tiny little hamster  
this dove here shall put aside the fact that you removed him from the group and is asking what you desire for your birthday that has befallen on the 22nd of November

 **Ki🐹:**  
there are just one too many things wrong with that statement

 **Hyungwon:**  
pray tell

 **Ki🐹:**  
first of all  
show me some fucking respect, you dimwit  
i'm 3 years older than you!

 **Hyungwon:**  
*cough* height *cough*  
🤡

 **Ki🐹:**  
and did you just imply that you're the symbol of love and peace?  
because that would just be an utter insult to other doves out there

 **Hyungwon:**  
shall i withdraw my offer?

 **Ki🐹:**  
however!!  
i like the idea of my desires being fulfilled

 **Hyungwon:**  
you pervert!

 **Ki🐹:**  
fuck you  
i'm not talking about those desires😑

 **Hyungwon:**  
we'll never know with you🤷‍♂️  
soooooo

 **Ki🐹:**  
well  
a new house would be nice😊

 **Hyungwon:**  
a more realistic gift is much appreciated thank you

 **Ki🐹:**  
...  
a new car would also be nice since my old one keeps dying on me

 **Hyungwon:**  
did i mention that the gift has to be realistic?

 **Ki🐹:**  
get me a girlfriend then

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm a turtle  
not cupid

 **Ki🐹:**  
your having an identity crisis and it's clearly showing  
you're either a dove or a turtle  
you're not some hybrid

 **Hyungwon:**  
well  
i haven't cleared Erikson's 5th stage of psychosocial development

 **Ki🐹:**  
was it intimacy vs seclusion?

 **Hyungwon:**  
it's intimacy vs isolation  
and that's the 6th stage  
 _identity vs role of confusion_ is the 5th stage  
thus this further proves that you did not pay attention during ms. park's class

 **Ki🐹:**  
i did not give two flying kites about that class

 **Hyungwon:**  
that's pretty obvious  
anyways  
i shall give you a window period of 2 hours to think of your **realistic** gift  
i have a meeting to attend to now  
Пока

 **Ki🐹:**  
what does that mean?  
 _Delivered✔_ _✔_  
.  
.  
.

hello?  
 _Delivered✔_ _✔_  
.  
.  
.  
  
nvm i googled it  
 _Delivered✔_ _✔_  
.  
.  
.  
i have decided  
a new wallet would do😌  
 _Delivered✔_ _✔_  
.  
.  
.  
 _Read✔_ _✔_

 **Hyungwon:**  
honestly, i didn't think being the co-CEO would be as hectic as the CEO himself  
kudos to my father for putting up this long  
also, excellent choice  
your desire shall be granted on the 22nd

 **Ki🐹:**  
when you put it that way...

 **Hyungwon:**  
😂

 **Ki🐹:**  
are you okay hyungwon?  
did the meeting not go well?

 **Hyungwon:**  
it got a little tense between my dad and i with our usual contradicting ideas for the company  
now i'm having migraine from everything

 **Ki🐹:**  
it's lunchtime for you now, right?  
rest hyungwon  
i'll tell shownu to get you something to eat

 **Hyungwon:**  
thanks kihyun 

* * *

** Monster **

_Ki🐹 added You_

**Nunu🐻:**  
i'm going to bet that hyungwon offered something

 **Hyungwon:**  
🥰

 **Ki🐹:**  
hasn't it ever occur to you that i might just be an angel?

 **Hyungwon:**  
🐹+👼??

 **Nunu🐻:**  
🤔

 **Ki🐹:**  
i sometimes wonder why i still hang around you guys😑

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The stages I was talking about earlier was about Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Theory where he theorized that two conflicting ideas must be resolved successfully in order for a person to become a confident, contributing member of society. If a person fails to resolve these tasks it will lead to feelings of inadequacy.


	18. Chapter 18

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

_Yesterday_

**Hyungwon:**  
it's kihyun's birthday today  
and you know him and his parties  
i bet you can already envision the atmosphere here  
he invited every soul he knows  
and of course, there will be alcohol  
and a decent amount of banana milk just for me  
it's only 10 pm now and idk i just don't feel too good  
i can't really tell if it's because of the work overload  
or if its just that the crowd seems different tonight  
 _Sent✔  
.  
.  
.  
_i'm in the bathroom now  
more like hiding actually  
maybe it's just that everything is getting a little too much for me  
you know how much i hate being in a crowded place for too long?  
but you loved it  
you always managed to fit yourself in any crowd  
you were the mood maker  
like i said, my sunshine  
you will forever be my light  
you always comforted me  
you made sure i was okay  
and you always had a way to get me out of my shell  
that's another thing i love about you  
it was only you and always you  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
i keep expecting to see your face in the crowd  
i would even secretly hope for kihyun to tell me that you've just arrived and that you're looking for me  
but i know that's just going a little too far  
i was hoping to get better as the months go by  
nothing's changed in case you're wondering  
i just miss you more and more  
i need to go out now  
changkyun suspected that i've been gone for too long  
 _Sent✔,10:23 p.m._

_Today_

**Hyungwon:**  
i just reached home minhyuk  
and don't worry i'm not drunk  
unfortunately  
i have to meet my parents tomorrow  
and i would very much not want to deal with a hangover when i know they'll give me their own kind of headache  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
something happened tonight hyung...  
i met someone  
more so "my clumsy ass accidentally spilled pepsi on someone"  
apparently he's from Gunpo but he somehow knows kihyun?  
i don't remember his name  
i don't remember asking for it anyways  
but he was nice  
he seemed sweet even  
but in all honesty, i really didn't have the energy or even the mood to carry on a conversation with him  
i don't know if he was plain clueless or he was just persistent because he kept initiating a conversation with me  
he didn't seem to mind that i didn't talk much  
i suppose he'll be returning to Gunpo so what's the point in dwelling in this  
i just wanted to point it out because he was the first person who'd ever approach me besides my friends after everything happened...  
did i feel some sort of connection?  
no  
but his company was somewhat warm?  
i don't even know if whatever i'm saying even makes sense at this point  
i'm going to sleep now minhyuk  
i hope you're resting well  
goodnight💛  
 _Sent✔, 01:48 a.m._

* * *


	19. Chapter 19

* * *

**Minhyukkie💙**

**Hyungwon:**  
kihyun told me his name  
it's lee hoseok  
i think he's mentioned about him before(?)  
i don't quite remember when  
i didn't really dig around for more info  
but apparently that hoseok guy has been asking about me ever since the party?  
he also told kihyun that he would like to meet me  
honestly i don't know how to feel about this  
i tried to lightly hint that i am not a tad bit interested  
but kihyun just brushed me off saying how i am quick to judge  
yes i am quick to judge  
that is because i don't want to meet him or anyone for that matter  
yes he's cute and kind  
but somehow my mind always goes back to you, minhyuk  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
i know i can't have you back  
i know i have to move on  
i need to in order to ever have a life again  
but minhyu kwhy do i feel guilty?  
i'm not betraying you  
i'm not even cheating ffs  
but why can't i try to give my heart to someone else?  
sometimes i wonder if it would've been easier to move on if you and I had just remained friends  
if that were to happen i can't help but bring myself to wonder if jooheon would end up like me instead... or would he have dealt with it better?  
this is why i overwork myself  
the exhaustion distracts me from any thoughts of you  
and at this point, i can't tell the status of my health anymore  
i can't blame you even if i wanted to for leaving  
 _Sent✔_

* * *

**I.M Kyun🐺**

**I.M Kyun🐺:**  
hyung! hyung!  
i have a question

 **Hyungwon:**  
anything i can help you with?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:  
** i just  
what do you think of jooheon hyung as an individual?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i hate him  
and that statement has been filtered btw

 **I.M Kyun🐺:  
** but why hyung?

 **Hyungwon:**  
that is none of your concerns changkyun

 **I.M Kyun🐺:  
** did he ever do anything to upset you :( ?

 **Hyungwon:**  
let me ask you a question changkyun  
do you like jooheon as an individual?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:  
** ofc i like him hyung!  
he's super kind and sweet and funny  
he's also really really talented!

 **Hyungwon:**  
then i don't have to explain myself  
you know i don't hate people without a reason  
just like i have my reasons for why i hate him  
and those reasons are not meant for everyone to know  
if you like him as an individual overall then good for you  
i won't stop you or anyone from being friends with him

 **I.M Kyun🐺:  
** owh...  
okay...

 **Hyungwon:**  
why are you suddenly asking about jooheon?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:  
** no reason hyung😊  
also  
can i come by your office after class?

 **Hyungwon:**  
sure

 **I.M Kyun🐺:  
** 💙

* * *


	20. Chapter 20

* * *

** +82 XX XXXX YYYY **

**+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
hello  
is this Chae Hyungwon?

 **Hyungwon:**  
who is this?

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:  
** i'm going to take that as a yes because i know kihyun won't prank me like that  
i'm Hoseok :)  
the guy from kihyun's party  
you spilled pepsi on me

 **Hyungwon:**  
oh  
hi...  
so kihyun gave you my number?

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:  
** yea 😅  
i hope you don't mind  
i just want to get to know you better

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm not looking for a relationship if that's what you're hoping for

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:  
** wow that escalated quickly  
i didn't peg you to be this straightforward

 **Hyungwon:**  
but i'm right  
aren't i?

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:  
** i mean i was thinking that we could start off as friends and then eventually yes we could be something more if it goes well   
i find you interesting and you intrigued me  
plus i won't deny it, you're really handsome

 **Hyungwon:**  
you're really blunt 😐

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:  
** thank you :)  
but like I was saying  
a few dates maybe?  
then we can see how things go and take it from there

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'll see

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
how about we meet next friday?  
7 pm?

 **Hyungwon:**  
eager aren't we?

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
😬  
so, what do you say?  
will you give me a chance?

 **Hyungwon:**  
no  
goodnight

* * *


	21. Chapter 21

* * *

** Nunu🐻 **

**Nunu🐻:  
** it is time for your health check in

 **Hyungwon:**  
-_-  
i checked your schedule  
you're supposed to have a group discussion right now

 **Nunu🐻:  
** and that is precisely why i'm heading to your office in about 10 mins  
group discussion has been pushed back to 3 pm  
okay now the first question  
did you exercise today?

 **Hyungwon:**  
seriously hyung?

 **Nunu🐻:  
** dead serious  
i wouldn't be joking about something like this

 **Hyungwon:**  
🙄

 **Nunu🐻:  
** don't roll your eyes at me mister

 **Hyungwon:**  
technically i'm your boss

 **Nunu🐻:  
** and technically i'm friends with a murder-driven hamster  
you take your pick

 **Hyungwon:**  
i stretched today morning in my bed

 **Nunu🐻:  
** good enough  
next question  
when was your last meal

 **Hyungwon:**  
water counts right?

 **Nunu🐻:  
** HyuNgWOn

 **Hyungwon:  
** i mean if you freeze water then it's a solid and food is solid  
sounds like logic? yes!

 **Nunu🐻:**  
chae hyungwon!

 **Hyungwon:**  
okok  
actual solid meal...  
2 days ago...?  
i think?  
  


 **Nunu🐻:  
** we're going out for lunch  
i know this sushi place

 **Hyungwon:**  
one bad experience with sushi is enough

 **Nunu🐻:  
** just get your ass out  
now

* * *

"I never knew the sushi would taste that good there!" Hyungwon exclaims in utter surprise. Shownu just chuckles while shaking his head. They are now walking back after having lunch at a nearby sushi place just around the corner from their company.

"I've told you so many times but your stubborn ass refused to try it."

"It's not my fault I got traumatized from the last time I ate sushi," the younger huffs defensively.

"That's your fault for eating food prepared by Changkyun. You know that boy can't even boil an egg even if his life depended on it." Hyungwon was about to retort back until a familiar figure catches his attention. The figure walked pass them obliviously and Hyungwon stops at his tracks, eyeing the male closely.

Shownu who has been talking all along realizes that the younger was no longer walking beside him. When he turns around an immediate frown was embedded onto his face at the younger who seems to be staring intently at someone.

"Hyungwon," he calls but he didn't hear him. Instead, he sees him taking off, and instantly he knew what he was doing. Before Hyungwon has a chance to approach the male, Shownu already has a tight grip on his wrist, yanking him back.

"No hyung, please!" Hyungwon begs desperately as he tries to snatch his wrist away. Shownu only tightens it and Hyungwon whimpers. He knew he can't pull away because he's weak compared to Shownu.

"Hyungwon stop," Shownu says, but he still trashes stubbornly, trying his very best at every yank to get away.

"I s-saw him hyung! Please! I need to see him!"

"Hyungwon that's enough!" he yells. For all who knew Shownu hates shouting and on very rare occasions when the situation is called for, would he raise his voice-this is one of those rare occasions.

Hyungwon stills, glossy eyes looking up at Shownu who now sighs. "Stop doing this to yourself," he says, defeated. At this point, he-or anyone else for that matter-doesn't know how to approach Hyungwon anymore. It's like the friend they knew was completely lost, so out of touch with reality after the incident with Minhyuk.

"B-But I-s-saw-"

"That's not him Hyungwon and you know it." He shakes his head stubbornly. Shownu wraps his arms around the smaller frame of the younger who now shakes from silent falling tears and his heavy breathing. "I know it's still painful, but you can't keep hurting yourself like this. Please, we can't see you torturing yourself like this."

Hyungwon all but listened to Shownu. His mind is completely elsewhere. Although his eyes burn, they still stare at the place where he _thinks_ he saw Minhyuk. He was sure this time that he really saw him. He saw his Minhyuk walk pass by them.

_Or did he?_

* * *


	22. Chapter 22

* * *

** Monster **

**I.M Kyun🐺:**

**Jooheon:**  
🥰

 **Nunu🐻:**  
you two seem awfully close now

 **Hyungwon:**  
a little too close😒

 **Ki🐹:**  
wait  
i know that tree!

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
 ** _@Nunu🐻_** _**@Hyungwon**_ we've always been close hyung

 **Jooheon:**  
 ** _@Ki🐹_** well you see😗

 **Ki🐹:**  
what are you two doing at my workplace!

 **Jooheon:**  
well you seeee  
changkyunnie missed you

 **Hyungwon:**  
that's the biggest lie i have ever heard😂

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
i see kihyun hyung almost every day  
why would i miss him?

 **Ki🐹:**  
ouch changkyunnie

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
i-  
wait hyung that came out wrong!  
jooheon hyung see what you did!!

 **Jooheon:**  
i'm sorry🤷‍♂️

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
we were just walking around hyung  
and we thought why not pay you a visit since it's on the way

 **Ki🐹:**  
you guys want free food don't you?

 **Jooheon:**  
yes please  
see changkyun i told you sugarcoating wasn't necessary

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
jooheon hyung ffs shut up

 **Hyungwon:**  
 ** _@I.M Kyun🐺_** that is the man i brought you up to be😌✊

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
 ** _@Ki🐹_** we're waiting by the tree hyung :)  
 ** _@Hyungwon_** ☺

 **Ki🐹:**  
😑😑😑

 **Jooheon:**  
please 

**I.M Kyun🐺:**  
🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

 **Ki🐹:**  
emotional blackmail  
i hate you people  
wait 10 mins

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
i love you hyung😘

 **Ki🐹:**  
yea yea  
wtv

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
while waiting i have a pending question

 **Nunu🐻:**  
shoot away curious little bird

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
why don't we add Lee Hoseok hyung into this group?  
i mean we've all met him at kihyun hyung's party  
and he seems like a really cool guy  
so why not add him into our circle?  
i mean if it's alright with everyone...

 **Nunu🐻:**  
i don't mind

 **Ki🐹:**  
me either

 **Hyungwon:**  
nope no  
bad idea  
i hate it

 **Jooheon:**  
it's literally only you against the 4 of us

 **Hyungwon:**  
what if he doesn't want to be in the group?

 **Ki🐹:**  
then we can always remove him  
but we don't know that for sure, do we?

 **Hyungwon:**  
so you're fine with letting a random stranger into our group chat?

 **Ki🐹:**  
i've known that dude for a long time  
i think he's way past being a stranger

 **Hyungwon:**  
i still object

_Ki🐹 added +82 XX XXXX YYYY_

**Hyungwon:**  
and yet again my opinions go in vain

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY** :  
hello?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
welcome!!!!!!

 **Jooheon:**  
chill changkyun  
also kihyun hyung please hurry up and come down

 **Ki🐹:**  
 ** _@+82 XX XXXX YYYY_** welcome to the group  
do you wish to stay or leave?

 **Hyungwon:**  
leave  
he wishes to leave

 **Jooheon:**  
he has hands of his own to type

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
hyungwon's in this group as well i see

 **Nunu🐻:**  
you two know each other personally?

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
not entirely

 **Hyungwon:**  
not at all!

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
not yet :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
stab me with a pillow

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
gladly😉

 **Hyungwon:**  
urgh

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
😌

 **Ki🐹:**  
i guess i got my answer then

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
i'm definitely staying now

 **Ki🐹:**  
welcome!  
you guys should introduce yourselves once again

 **Nunu🐻:**  
hi  
i'm shownu

 **Jooheon:**  
i'm jooheon

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
I'm changkyun!  
hello!

 **Ki🐹:**  
you already know me :p

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
i'm hoseok  
you can also call me wonho if you want

 **Jooheon:**  
cool

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
and the last one must be hyungwon😌

 **Hyungwon:**  
brb  
gonna go choke on a feather

 **Ki🐹:**  
you kinky little shit

* * *


	23. Chapter 23

* * *

**+82 XX XXXX YYYY**

**+82 XX XXXX YYYY** **:**  
good morning Hyungwonnie :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
i remember specifically telling you that i am not interested

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
and i remember specifically telling you to give me a chance :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
give me one good reason why I should  
as far as i know you could just be a flirt who just wants a fling from this pretty face

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
so you do know you're incredibly handsome!

 **Hyungwon:**  
i've been told multiple times  
yes

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
i love you already🥰

 **Hyungwon:**  
i don't  
so what game are you playing?

* * *

** Ki🐹 **

**Hyungwon:**  
yoo kihyun!  
how could you

 **Ki🐹:**  
so I assume that idiot has finally contacted you

 **Hyungwon:**  
why would you give him my number!!  
and that too without my consent

 **Ki🐹:**  
i wouldn't have done so if i didn't think it was necessary  
and i'm sorry i didn't ask you prior to giving him but honestly if i waited for your consent i don't even think my grandkids would live to get it

 **Hyungwon:**  
oh, so you're meddling in my love life now?

 **Ki🐹:**  
no  
i'm trying to get you out of that shell you put yourself back in

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm not in some fucking shell

 **Ki🐹:**  
you think you're fine now hyungwon?

 **Hyungwon:**  
why wouldn't i be?

 **Ki🐹:**  
listen  
we are all worried about you  
and we honestly don't know what to do anymore to help you

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm fucking fine kihyun  
jeez  
you all should chill once in a while honestly

 **Ki🐹:**  
no hyungwon  
you're not fine  
in case you haven't realized  
you've shut yourself up from everyone

 **Hyungwon:**  
that's how i've always been  
i've always been reserved  
plus i'm always with you guys  
i don't see how that is _'shutting myself up'_

 **Ki🐹:**  
i know how you are when you're reserved and this is just not it  
you're here  
but you're not fully here  
i can see it hyungwon  
you're like an open book when it comes to your raw emotions

 **Hyungwon:**  
so what?  
you want me to date this guy?  
propose and get married?  
live happily ever after?

 **Ki🐹:**  
all i'm saying is give him a chance  
he's a really nice guy  
and this is coming from me  
you know i wouldn't simply give someone your number unless i trust them

 **Hyungwon:**  
Minhyuk is a nice guy...

 **Ki🐹:**  
hyungwon stop  
we're not going there

 **Hyungwon:**  
you never want to go there

 **Ki🐹:**  
that's cuz i know you'll fall into a downward spiral if i do

 **Hyungwon:**  
fine

 **Ki🐹:**  
i only want what's best for you

 **Hyungwon:**  
so says the other 2 as well  
what's new at this point?

* * *

**+82 XX XXXX YYYY**

**Hyungwon:**  
so what game are you playing?

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
i'm not trying to play any game  
honest  
i just want to put your broken pieces together😉

 **Hyungwon:**  
are you always going to be this cheesy?

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
only if it's necessary  
and if you want me to😉  
besides, i love cheese  
don't you?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'll go out with you

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
wAit WHat

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm giving you a chance  
sort of

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
seriously??

 **Hyungwon:**  
yes

 **+82 XX XXXX YYYY:**  
OMFG  
YES  
THNAK YOU  
THANK***  
YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT

Add +82 XX XXXX YYYY to your contacts?

**Yes** **/ No**

_+82 XX XXXX YYYY to Hoseok (Lee)_

**Hyungwon:**  
you're really excited huh😂

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
fuck you have no idea!  
so friday?  
at 7?  
i can pick you up

 **Hyungwon:**  
no it's fine  
i have work actually   
will 8 be ok?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
yes of course!  
see you then :))  
  


* * *

**Minhyukkie💙**

**Hyungwon:**  
what am i getting myself into minhyuk...

* * *


	24. Chapter 24

* * *

** Monster **

**I.M Kyun🐺:**

shall we take a moment to appreciate how handsome hyungwon hyung is😍

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
he is indeed handsome  
😍❤

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
 _ **@Hoseok (Lee**_ ) ikr!

 **Hyungwon:**  
skhskjskhskhskjs  
chAngKYun!!

 **Jooheon:**  
 _ **@Hyungwon**_ why do you always look so done with life?

 **Hyungwon:**  
that's how i feel on the inside

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
and yet you still manage to look so handsome

 **Jooheon:**  
that's a bold statement

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
a confident gay  
that's what i am

 **Ki🐹:**  
where are you guys?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
hyungwon hyung was free after work  
so i asked him to follow me to go christmas shopping

 **Nunu🐻:**  
i'm surprised he agreed to follow

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
it didn't really take much effort to convince him

 **Nunu🐻:**  
 _ **@Hyungwon**_ what changed your mind?

 **Hyungwon:**  
finding out that jooheon was his other option for companionship

 **Ki🐹:**  
that's really blunt of you

 **Jooheon:**  
i was???  
i would love to go christmas shopping with changkyun

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
i mean if hyung wasn't free then yes i was planning to ask you

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i'm sorry but i don't understand what's wrong with that...  
is something wrong with jooheon?

 **Jooheon:**  
i am perfectly fine  
thank you very much

 **Hyungwon:**  
pfft  
i hate that man with a passion

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
oh  
and yet he is in this group?

 **Jooheon:**  
only he hates me  
for reasons only he knows

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
okay then

**I.M Kyun🐺:**

😍💙

 **Hyungwon:**  
changkyun  
stop

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
but hyung  
your beauty must be appreciated😌✊

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
it is very much appreciated  
don't worry

**Hyungwon:  
  
**

:p

 **Ki🐹:**  
are you guys actually buying decorations or just taking pictures of each other

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
both✌

 **Jooheon:**  
changkyunnie you look so cute😆

 **Hyungwon:**  
he's always been cute since the first time i saw him

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
hyung🥺😭

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
and that was?

 **Hyungwon:**  
10 years ago  
changkyun was my neighbour when my family and i first moved to Seoul

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
and i missed you being my neighbor hyung😢

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
how about the rest of you?  
were you guys from the same uni?

 **Ki🐹:**  
hyungwon, jooheon and i were from the same uni

 **Nunu🐻:**  
i met hyungwon when we both started working at his father's company

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
ahh i see i see

**I.M Kyun🐺:**

we is done  
we're gonna go eat now

 **Nunu🐻:**  
enjoy your meal :)

 **Ki🐹:**  
 _ **@I.M Kyun🐺**_ make sure hyungwon eats well

 **Hyungwon:**  
😑

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
don't worry hyung  
i'll make sure he does!  
.  
.  
.

**I.M Kyun🐺:**

hyung decided to stay for the night😭  
i love him🥺

 **Hyungwon:**  
stop boasting about my presences and come to the room  
you left me alone and i do not like it

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
today i have been blessed with the sight of such beauty😌

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
 _ **@Hoseok (Lee)**_ it's even better irl🤭

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
😩😩

 **Hyungwon:**  
CHANGKYUN

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
i'm coming hyung  
i brought mulan with me

 **Ki🐹:**  
we should all have a movie night someday!

 **Jooheon:**  
yes we should✊

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i'm up for it

 **Nunu🐻:**  
👌

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
me too!

 **Hyungwon:**  
now kindly do not disturb our movie night  
goodnight

* * *

**KiKi**

**Wonho:  
** he seems pretty comfortable with you guys

 **Ki🐹:**  
meh   
most times really  
other times he likes to keep to himself and he's really picky with people he lets in

 **Wonho:**  
what do i have to do to get close to him then?

 **KiKi:**  
honestly  
i have no advice for you  
he's a tough nut to crack

 **Wonho:**  
then how did you crack this tough nut in uni?

 **KiKi:**  
i guess it was just me

 **Wonho:**  
that's modest of you😑

 **KiKi:**  
i am pretty amazing

 **Wonho:**  
...

 **KiKi:**  
okok  
what i mean is my genuineness  
he realized that i wasn't being friends with him just because of his status or his money  
he may seem cold and reserved  
but really he's a softy towards the people he loves  
you may not see it in the texts he sends  
but you'll see it irl  
i guess my advice would be: _don't give up on him so easily_  
that's how we all got to where we are with him today  
well, except for jooheon ofc

 **Wonho:**  
what's up with the both of them anyways?

 **KiKi:**  
there was always this unspoken tension between them even back in uni  
but he really started expressing his hate for jooheon about 4 years ago (?)  
no one really knows why  
but i believe something happened during his new year's eve party 4 years ago

 **Wonho:**  
why do you say that?

 **KiKi** :  
because the very next day he removed jooheon from our old group chat and from then on they've always had bad blood

 **Wonho:**  
hmm...  
i hope it gets resolved soon

 **KiKi:**  
i hope so too  
and anyways  
like i said, just don't give up on him  
because in the end, it is worth getting to know him

 **Wonho:**  
i won't  
thanks ki

* * *


	25. Chapter 25

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
i can't sleep again  
days like this i wish i could do so much work until i tire my body enough to sleep  
changkyunnie already fell asleep  
that's good  
he has classes tomorrow anyways  
 _Sent✔  
_.  
.  
.  
do you remember the uni days?  
i know i always complained back then about wanting to get out of uni  
now all i want is to go bavk to those days  
i want to relive the moments i spent with you back then  
those were much simpler times, weren't they?  
do you ever think about those days too, minhyuk?  
do you ever wish you could go back?  
maybe fix a couple of mistakes?  
 _Sent✔, 02:34_  
even whe|

* * *

"Hyung?"

Hyungwon switches his phone off and turns to look at Changkyun with the little light illuminating from outside. He can make out the faint frown on his forehead.

"Why are you still awake, hyung?" Changkyun asks sleepily.

"I couldn't sleep," Hyungwon simpy says. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

"No, no you didn't." Hyungwon sighs and puts his phone on the bedside table. He then turns to his side to face Changkyun.

"How have you been?" Hyungwon asks randomly. "I know I haven't exactly been present for most parts and I'm sorry-"

"Hyung, I'm not mad," Changkyun says, stopping Hyungwon's ramble. "And you don't have to apologize. I know it's been especially hard on you so there's nothing to be sorry for." Hyungwon can only sigh again. 

"It's still not an excuse for my lousy attitude."

"I still love you, hyung!" Changkyun exclaims, putting an arm on Hyungwon's body. The older moves closer to the younger and puts his hand through the younger's hair, gently playing with it.

"You're such a sweet kid, you know that?"

"I'm nineteen hyung!" he whines, lightly hitting the older's arm. Hyungwon elicits a low chuckle.

"To me, you'll always be the 9-year-old boy I first met."

"And you're still the strong hyung I met ten years ago."

"I'm not strong, Changkyun... I'm so far from that."

"I know it hurts you the most hyung and yet you still manage to carry on your day. You even got promoted! I'm so proud of you hyung-everyone's so proud of you. I bet even Minhyuk hyung is proud of you, so very proud of how far you've come."

"How do you do it Changkyun?" Hyungwon questions, sounding defeated, tired even. "I forgot what it's like to have the will to get out of bed every morning. I'm barely surviving each day."

"But you still survived, hyung!" Changkyun persists, holding onto the older tighter. "You wake up every morning and you're still here. That's all that matters. You don't need to do anything more. Just being here is more than enough, hyung." Changkyun hugs him closer. He witnesses almost every day how careless Hyungwon gets of his own wellbeing, he also sees how he's slowly slipping into a downfall and this truly scares the younger but nothing good ever comes from Hyungwon getting lost in his own downfall. 

"That's why I always look up to you, hyung. You always inspire me." Hyungwon can only soak up on the younger's warmth and concentrate on his calm breathing since he is heart is beating a little too fast from all the emotions that riling within himself.

"Are you still planning to be co-CEO of my soon-to-be company?" Hyungwon asks moments later when the overwhelming feeling calms down.

"If you're the CEO then yes, I will work hard to be co-CEO!" The unending enthusiasm this boy holds never fails to warm Hyungwon's heart. And maybe that's why he has this need to always protect the younger. He is fond of him. Changkyun is like the younger brother he never had.

"Now sleep. You have classes tomorrow," Hyungwon cooes. Changkyun nods his head and snuggles into Hyungwon's chest like he always did when they were still neighbors and they would occasionally go to each other's house for sleepovers.

Those were the simpler days.

"Will you still hug me like I was nine?" the younger mumbles against his chest and Hyungwon almost instantly wraps him protectively in his arms like he used to.

"Always."

It didn't take long for the younger to drift back to sleep. And Hyungwon remains awake for the next few hours with the silence as his companion.

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
even whe|  
even wh|  
e|  
should we adopt changkyun like we planned?  
 _Sent✔, 05:48_

* * *


	26. Chapter 26

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
i can't do this minhyuk  
i'm so scared  
should i just ditch him?  
maybe i should just send him a last-minute text?  
it's not even close to 7 yet all i can think about is the dinner that i am going to have with him in an hour and a half  
he even texted earlier this morning  
he seems genuinely interested  
what should i do minhyuk?  
i can't even lie because kihyun knows i would make up excuses   
which is exactly why he "agreed" to drive me to the dinner  
by agreed i mean forced  
literally  
for a tiny man, he sure holds a lot of persistence  
 _Sent✔  
_.  
.  
.  
sometimes i wonder if kihyun misses bickering with you  
i never dared ask him this tho  
but i think sometimes when we all hang out, there would be moments where he would be reminded of you  
and what you would've said to him based on his choices  
i miss those moments  
and even if they don't verbally say it  
i know they miss it too  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
which would be better minhyuk  
freezing time?  
or going back in time?  
sometimes i just want to freeze time and stay in a specific moment forever  
and sometimes i want to go back in time to relive several moments that made me happy  
we think we would be content if we could do this with time  
but i think because of our greed, no matter how many times we freeze time or go back in time  
we will never be satisfied  
perhaps that is why god never allowed it in the first place  
because he knew how greedy human beings can get  
 _Sent✔_

* * *


	27. Chapter 27

* * *

"I haven't formally introduced myself. I'm Lee Hoseok."

"Chae Hyungwon. And right off the bat, I am not interested in any sort of relationship, thank you very much," Hyungwon clarifies with a short shake of his hand with the other before he takes his own seat right across from Wonho. 

"So no polyamorous relationship, open relationship, long-distance relationship, or even casual sex relationship?" Wonho playfully asks with a cheeky smirk and to say that Hyungwon is amused would be oh-so-wrong. Hyungwon scrunches his nose then evidently rolls his eyes. 

"None."

"Well, I don't mind with the 'friends with benefits' relationship, but I was hoping more of a monogamous relationship with you and _only_ you," Wonho tells him this time. 

"I told you that flattery will take you nowhere."

"I'll take my chances," Wonho says. "Shall we order?"

They ordered their food and while they waited with both having two different expectations of how they plan to end the night. 

On Wonho's part, he was hoping for a somewhat decent dinner-or date if you might say-with Hyungwon. He knew the younger was a difficult individual to please, but honestly, he didn't think the night could go anymore horrible. With Wonho constantly carrying out a conversation, the younger would simply dismiss him arrogantly with either a one-word answer or just plain sarcasm.

By the end of dinner Hyungwon just cannot wait to go back home, shower, and then drown himself with the endless workload he has and he prays that those will be enough to make him pass out of exhaustion. Now he has to pray that Kihyun doesn't intentionally pick him up late just so he and Wonho would spend extra _'quality'_ time together.

As though this dinner wasn't an exact waste of time on both their parts already. 

"I see you can't wait to leave," Wonho comments after Hyungwon looked at his Daniel Wellington for the nth time tonight.

"I can't really say that I enjoy the company of such a man. Excuse me for being forward," Hyungwon retorts back with a lopsided smile. Wonho can only snicker.

"You really have a lot to say about me," Wonho says with amusement.

"Well, a cocky man like yourself, of course!"

"Cocky huh? Is that your final verdict of me for tonight?"

"Yes," Hyungwon answers without a single hesitation. 

"Well then, shall I disclose my verdict as well for tonight?" Hyungwon only nods, not having the least bit of interest in what the older has to say about him. 

"This dinner was a disaster. You're arrogant and straight out rude," Wonho states bluntly but it didn't even offend the younger. Instead, Hyungwon smirks, proud that he was able to make such an impression tonight itself. 

"But that's not who you truly are, isn't it?" the older questions now which did throw Hyungwon off a little. 

"How would you know that," Hyungwon huffs with hooded eyes as he crosses his arms, leaning back against his chair. He thought he had the upper hand—that is until Wonho questioned him. The younger doesn't want the tables to turn.

"For starters, when I called you _arrogant and rude,_ you would either give me a monotonous expression if you already knew that or you would be offended if you were indeed oblivious. Instead, you _smirked_ at me. You intentionally acted that way.

Second, you're friends with Yoo Kihyun. I've known him since we were young and if anything he'd never come to befriend someone who is arrogant let alone rude. I know that he would put you in your place if you were. Therefore I know this is not who you are."

Hyungwon just stares at him and blinks. Speechless.

_Did the tables really turn?_

"You're closing yourself off," Wonho continues. "Something's hurt you in the past and that's probably why you're acting this way towards me. You're scared."

At this point, Hyungwon feels like he had lost the lead in this whole situation. He hates how this guy right in front of him, a guy he barely knew could read him like an open book. And that is definitely one thing he hates the most from people. This is why he rarely opens up and if he were to he would almost always only go to Kihyun (or Minhyuk). It's just something unsettling that Hyungwon feels when someone is able to read him so clearly from just these eyes, the way he talks, and just his mere actions altogether. Subconscious tears trickle down Hyungwon's cheek with the sudden sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach and he immediately wipes them with the back of his hand, then looks out the window beside him.

Wonho takes the other's hand that's still on the table and caresses it. Hyungwon slowly turns his gaze back at him who gives him a reassuring smile, like he is not at all mad at him for having to waste his time tonight. He seems genuinely caring.

"You don't have to tell me anything. I understand that whatever it is, it must be really hard. I won't even ask Kihyun about it until I get your consent about it."

"Y—You can't be so nice..."

"Of course I can," Wonho responds with a chuckle. "I can be a very mean person, but I can also be very nice to the people I care about."

"You barely even know me," Hyungwon says softly, wiping his cheeks dry.

"And that's why I want to get to know you—if you let me. Just a few more dates and this time please be open-minded about this idea, about me. And if you still think that this will go nowhere than I will let you go. I won't force you into anything," Wonho affirms. "What do you say?"

Wonho gently continues to caress the younger's hands while waiting for an answer. He coos internally at how alluring the younger is when he drags his teeth across his bottom lip, biting it lightly while he debates with his thoughts mentally. He is hesitant, Wonho can see that. But the older really does hope that he will give him another chance—a proper one this time.

"Okay."

* * *


	28. Chapter 28

* * *

** Hoseok (Lee) **

**Hoseok (Lee):**  
i hope you have reached home safely  
 _Delivered✔✔  
_.  
.  
.  
 _Read✔✔_

 **Hyungwon:**  
i did  
kihyun just dropped me off

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** that's good  
how are you feeling now?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm just tired really

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** that's understandable  
it was a long day  
you should rest up

 **Hyungwon:**  
i will  
once i'm done with a few works

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
don't overwork yourself, okay?  
goodnight hyungwon  
sleep well❤

 **Hyungwon:**  
goodnight

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
i don't like this feeling  
all these while i thought i was afraid of meeting a stranger or just the general idea of putting myself out there but i don't think that was the actual case  
the date was different  
how it turned out was completely different from what i had thought of from the beginning  
i'm scared minhyuk  
and i don't think it was ever because of the date itself  
 _Sent✔_

* * *


	29. Chapter 29

* * *

**Monster**

**Hoseok (Lee):**  
question

 **Jooheon:**  
shoot away

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
why is that the group name?

 **Hyungwon:**  
because joseon isn't bright enough to think of a better one

 **Jooheon:**  
Jooheon**  
also the group name in our old group sucks too

 **Hyungwon:**  
why didn't you change it before then?

 **Jooheon:**  
BECAUSE YOU REMOVED ANYONE WHO CHANGED IT

 **Hyungwon:**  
one of my proudest moments😌✊

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
😂

 **Ki🐹:**  
 _ **@Hoseok (Lee)**_ please if you have a better one do change it

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
you gotta make me an admin first

 **Hyungwon:**  
kihyun tends to forget that often🙃

_Ki🐹 made Hoseok (Lee) the group admin_

**Hoseok (Lee):**  
thank you

 **Hyungwon:**  
kihyun  
you forgot one more thing...

 **Ki🐹:**  
?

 **Hyungwon:**  
make me an admin

 **Nunu🐻:  
** this will be a never-ending saga

_Hoseok (Lee) changed the subject from "Monster" to "Beer Pressure"_

**Ki🐹:**  
that's cute

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
like hyungwon  
i know

 **Hyungwon:**  
excuse me  
i'm handsome

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
very😌😍

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i can't argue honestly

 **Nunu🐻:**  
a pun?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
why not you know?  
besides most people like beer

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
kihyun hyung and hyungwon hyung don't let me drink beer :(

 **Jooheon:**  
aww changkyunnie  
we can go get it together someday

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
REALLYYY?????

 **Hyungwon:**  
fuck you jooheon  
you are not allowed to bring him out for a drink

 **Jooheon:**  
and why can't I?

 **Hyungwon:**  
you're the last person i trust to be with him especially when he's drinking

 **Jooheon:**  
and why is that huh  
what the fuck is your problem with me?

 **Hyungwon:**  
plenty

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
please don't fight...

 **Nunu🐻:**  
seriously guys  
you should resolve your problems sooner or later  
this can't go on forever

 **Hyungwon:**  
oh yes it can

 **Jooheon:**  
can you tell me what i did wrong for you to hate me so much?

 **Hyungwon:**  
the devil acting innocent?  
do i need a laugh track for this

 **Ki🐹:**  
hyungwon ffs

 **Hyungwon:**  
 _ **@Jooheon**_ you know what you did  
stop acting innocent  
just be thankful i haven't told everyone about it

 **Ki🐹:**  
okay that's enough from the both of you now  
changkyunnie are you done with classes?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
yeap  
i'm heading to the library to study for a bit

 **Nunu🐻:**  
study well

* * *

**Hoseok (Lee)**

**Hoseok (Lee):**  
hey  
are you okay

 **Hyungwon** :  
why wouldn't i be

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
you just seemed really tensed back there in the group

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm peachy  
don't worry about it

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
well i'll have you know that i cannot not worry about you  
you better get used to it  
 _Delivered✔✔  
_.  
.  
.  
 _Read✔✔_

 **Hyungwon:**  
sorry i just got back from a meeting  
and sure sure  
whatever floats your boat buddy

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i shall ignore the fact that you just buddy-zoned me  
anyways i was thinking

 **Hyungwon:**  
you were thinking

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
would you like

 **Hyungwon:**  
would i like

 **H** **oseok (Lee):**  
to grab coffee with me tomorrow morning?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i assume it's a do-over for our previous date?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
you can even consider it as our first date if you want  
whatever you like :)  
your office is at Myeong-dong right?  
mine's otw there as well

 **Hyungwon:**  
should i be concerned as to how you know that

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
you can thank kihyun later😉

 **Hyungwon:**  
ofc🤦‍♂️

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
so  
are you up for it

 **Hyungwon:**  
why not  
i need my morning coffee anyways

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
duCK  
dfuCk**  
fUcK***

 **Hyungwon:**  
😂

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
thAnKk You!!  
see you tomorrow then, my love

 **Hyungwon:**  
diD yOu JuST

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i said what i said

 **Hyungwon:**  
lord jesus christ save me

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
he did  
by sending me into your life😉

 **Hyungwon:**  
i—  
bye

* * *


	30. Chapter 30

* * *

** Hoseok (Lee) **

**Hoseok (Lee):**  
good morning :)  
i saved us a seat  
i hope americano is to your liking

 **Hyungwon:**  
that's awfully thoughtful of you

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
as always  
see you soon, love

 **Hyungwon:**  
stop it!

 **Hosoek (Lee):**  
stop what😌

 **Hyungwon:**  
TTHAT  
thAt name calling

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i only know terms of endearment✊

 **Hyungwon:**  
yuO  
YOU**

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i'm charming  
yes i've been told

 **Hyungwon:**  
by your mom?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
ex-girlfriendS

 **Hyungwon:**  
...  
owh

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i was joking  
 _Delivered✔✔_  
.  
.  
.  
FuCK  
you didn't think i was serious did you  
i'm as straight as a hula hoop i swear🥺✋  
 _Read✔✔_

 **Hyungwon:**  
a hula hoop😂✋  
nice one

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
fuck i really was joking  
i only was in a relationship once

 **Hyungwon:**  
chill dude  
i was driving  
can't be texting and driving now can I

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
you-  
ofc no i wouldn't want you to be  
just FUCk!

 **Hyungwon:**  
you do say 'fuck' a lot

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
are you already here😑

 **Hyungwon:**  
look up muscleman

* * *

** Beer Pressure **

**Hoseok (Lee):**

**😝😍**

**I.M Kyun🐺:**  
uwuu   
are you guys on a date😆

 **Hyungwon:**  
 ** _@Hoseok (Lee)_** EXCUSE ME ???

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
FUCK  
J SEN TO TEH WRONGG CHTT!

 **Jooheon:**  
translation: i sent to the wrong chat (!)

 **Nunu🐻:**  
thank you jooheon

 **Ki🐹:**  
💘

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
in my defense  
i was capturing memories of today

 **Hyungwon:**  
did you then take a pic of your coffee?  
for memories sake you know -_-

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
I-

 **Jooheon:**  
exposed

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
hello guys   
serious question!!  
WASITADATE👀

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
yes

 **Hyungwon:**  
no

 **Nunu🐻:**  
🤨

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
hyuuuungwooonnn😩😩

 **Hyungwon:**  
yes muscleman

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
is this how we're going to play it, love😏

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
HSJHJKHDJKHSKJJKKJDFHFD  
LOVE?  
LOV3EE??

 **Ki🐹:**  
i think changkyun's going to burst

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
i've already bursted

 **Hyungwon:**  
that's not even a word

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
hush hyung i'm still learning

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
my love is brilliant in english i see

 **Hyungwon:**  
oh my god stop!

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
😉

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
mY HEarT

 **Jooheon:**  
goodbye changkyunnie👋

* * *

** KiKi **

**Wonho:**  
taht was meant for you btw  
that**

 **KiKi:**  
😂😂

 **Wonho:**  
please i'm so embarrassed

 **KiKi:**  
how did it go anyways

 **Wonho:**  
it was much better today  
he seems a little bit more open with me which is good  
i guess a few more dates then he will be slightly more comfortable with me

 **KiKi:**  
was he difficult?

 **Wonho:**  
besides the occasional teasing and the slight sarcasm  
he was an angel😍  
i'm so happy that he's actually giving this a chance

 **KiKi:**  
you're whipped😂

 **Wonho:**  
that might just be an understatement

* * *


	31. Chapter 31

* * *

**Beer Pressure**

**Shownu:**

should this be concerning?

 **Joohoney:**  
depends  
what has he been up to

 **Shownu:**  
just exactly that  
staring out the window  
nothing else

 **Changkyun:**  
he hasn't moved an inch?

 **Shownu:**  
not for the past 20 mins...

 **Wonho:**  
why that spot tho?

 **Shownu:**  
he said he wanted a decent view of the fireworks tonight  
but then he hasn't moved since

 **KiKi:**  
shownu worries a little too much  
i'm fine

 **Wonho:**  
you're the exact same

 **KiKi:**  
anyways  
where's everyone  
how are you all spending new years?

 **Joohoney:**  
i'm back home with my sister and her family

 **Shownu:**  
i'm beside you

 **Changkyun:**  
i'm with my family as well

 **Wonho:**  
i'm spending it alone this year  
i might head down to Cheonggyecheon Stream

 **KiKi:**  
you can join shownu and i if you want

 **Shownu:**  
i don't mind either

 **Wonho:**  
thank you :)  
btw where's hyungwon?

 **Changkyun:**  
yea  
hyung's been silent

 **KiKi:**  
 _ **@Hyungwon💚**_ !!!!!!

 **Shownu:**  
he's probably still at the company

 **Wonho:**  
this late?

 **KiKi:**  
that's practically his second home

* * *

**Hyungwon💚**

**Wonho:**  
are you still at your company?  
 _Delivered✔✔_  
.  
.  
.  
 _Read✔✔_

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
i am

 **Wonho:**  
why

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
because i have work to do

 **Wonho:**  
on new year's eve night?

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
:')

 **Wonho:**  
hyungwon...  
are you the only one in the building?

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
besides the security guards yes

 **Wonho:**  
you shouldn't be working tonight and especially not this late

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
i need to get these work done

 **Wonho:**  
i'm not saying abandon them entirely  
just tonight don't push yourself too hard like you always do

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
why are you so concerned anyways

 **Wonho:**  
because i happen to really care for you  
get used to it love

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
you and your insufferable nicknames🙄

 **Wonho:**  
😘  
it's 11.30 pm now

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
your point being?

 **Wonho:**  
plan:-  
pick you up  
grab ice cream otw to Cheonggyecheon Stream  
watch the fireworks  
drive you home  
onz👌

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
plan:-  
finish 3 more stacks of paper  
sleep  
onz👌

 **Wonho:**  
ur co-CEO right?

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
why...??

 **Wonho:**  
imma take that as a yes  
be ready  
i'm coming to the 15th floor now

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
WhAt  
 _Delivered✔✔  
_.  
.  
.  
HELLO?!!  
goddamit!  
 _Delivered✔✔_.

* * *

A knock is heard not too long after and the door to Hyungwon's office opens. His head lifts to see the soft smile of the older who lets himself in. He walks towards Hyungwon who since a few moments ago has been-shamelessly-staring at him. The older wears black sweatpants and a slightly bigger black hoodie with a black cap to go along with it.

Wonho realizes this and smirks.

"Lovely office," he compliments, looking around before settling his gaze on the taller male who has his glasses on and his hair disheveled from running his fingers into it one too many times.

"Thanks," he mumbles.

"Tell me, love, why do you want to work so hard on New Year's eve?" Hyungwon's eyes widen momentarily and he feels a slight heat rush to his cheeks at the pet name being said out loud. When Wonho says it in the texts it's different because they're just typed out words and who knows the tone it would hold. But now hearing it in person, he'd never expect such fondness dripping when that one simple word rolled off his tongue. It's almost like a soft melody that sends a slight shiver through the younger's body.

But Hyungwon would never admit that.

"Because I'm co-CEO. I'm expected to be on top. I need to get my work done efficiently."

"Or are you simply cowering in your workload to escape reality?"

 _Speechless_ -yet again, and Hyungwon doesn't like this one bit.

"You don't know anything!" Hyungwon barks, a little too defensively.

"Of course not, love. I'm simply stating what I see. And from what I feel, you need to get out of this building for tonight. What do you say?" Wonho extends his hand, beckoning the younger to come with him.

Hyungwon hesitates. He looks at the inviting hand and looks back down at his papers. If he were to be honest he is a little ahead of all those paper works, but he can still make an excuse though.

"If we leave now we will still have time to get ice cream before going to Cheonggyecheon Stream," Wonho coaxes.

 _This is ridiculous_ , Hyungwon battles. The answer for Hyungwon was simple; no. He would very much rather stay back in his office to however late his body will let him before he retires for the night. He really does not care of it's New Year's Eve or any other occasion.

And yet he goes against all that he had thought of—he moves away from his desk and takes the hand.

* * *

**Beer Pressure**

**Changkyun:**  
HAPPY NEW YEAR HYUNGS!🥳🥳

 **Shownu:**  
blessed new year everyone❤

 **KiKi:**  
Happy Happy New Year UWUU!!!

 **Joohoney:**  
Happy New Years!🎉

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
happy new year all my fellow homo sapiens :)

**Wonho:  
  
** ****

Happy New Year from Cheonggyecheon Stream💙  
  


* * *


	32. Chapter 32

* * *

**Minhyukkie💙**

**Hyungwon:**  
hi baby  
happy new year❤  
i hope you're doing well  
i hope you're keeping yourself warm wherever you are  
 _Sent✔  
.  
.  
_.

life hasn't exactly been bad  
but it hasn't exactly been good as well  
you could say i'm just stuck in this constant haze of being in default  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
the guys are okay, they're healthy and doing well  
even hoseok's doing pretty well which is good  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
  
it's almost going to be one year in a few months baby  
and i don't know why i'm still doing this  
i don't know why I still go on here  
i guess I'm just hoping for something?  
some kind of a miracle maybe?  
you told me once that you believed in miracles  
if i start to believe in them too  
will you finally reply?  
that's all i ask  
i don't care if i can't see you  
but please, i just want you to reply  
i'm desperate  
i'm lost  
i thought i had it together but i don't  
i really don't  
i'm falling into a slump again  
and it's just tiring  
i need you  
 _Sent✔_  
  
  


* * *


	33. Chapter 33

* * *

** KiKi **

**KiKi:  
** casually dropping this here  
15 January  
the day chae hyungwon was birthed

 **Wonho:**  
fuck that's in 5 days!  
idk why i didn't think to ask him that before

 **KiKi:**  
chill dude  
you don't have to be extra for his birthday

 **Wonho:**  
but i want to  
in case you haven't notice i want to spoil my love

 **KiKi:**  
he doesn't get swooned by riches  
he has plenty of those  
and he's not materialistic

 **Wonho:**  
i figured he isn't  
but i still want to

 **KiKi:**  
tell me  
he's difficult  
so why do you still pursue him?

 **Wonho:**  
you told me yourself that i shouldn't just give up on him so easily

 **KiKi:**  
i mean  
why him  
even before i told you to not give up on him  
you were set on him  
why him specifically?  
you could've found anyone else in Seoul

 **Wonho:**  
he challenges me  
i like that about him  
but i think what really made me want to pursue him was after our first disastrous date...  
it was horrible ofc but the way he looked once i confronted him about his attitude  
he just looked so sad, so different from the person he presented himself to be  
that's when i realized that he always puts on a facade for everyone and i didn't like that  
so i wanted to learn more about him  
i want to know what makes him happy, what makes him sad  
i want to be there to cheer him up, to comfort him when he closes himself up  
i want to take care of him seeing how careless he is with his health  
idk how else to explain it  
that is the best i can do for now

 **KiKi:**  
i'm glad that idiot has you  
it's just he wasn't in a good place last year  
and you're probably the first good thing that's happened since everything

 **Wonho:**  
what about his promotion  
you told me he was promoted to co-CEO last year right?

 **KiKi:**  
honestly, i wish he wasn't given the promotion  
at least not now

 **Wonho:**  
why do you say that?  
aren't you happy for him?

 **KiKi:**  
ofc i'm happy for him  
i'm so proud of him because i know he worked hard to get here  
but it's all just so convenient for him especially because now he uses it as an excuse to "work"  
have you seen him?  
even you could tell that he doesn't take care of himself  
he overworks too much and nobody can tell him to stop because he's just so fucking stubborn

 **Wonho:**  
i am this close 👌  
this close to asking anyone what happened  
but i respect him   
and i'll wait for him to tell me on his own accord

 **KiKi:**  
the gentleman that you are🤧  
the curiosity is killing you isn't it

 **Wonho:**  
immensely

 **KiKi:**  
:')  
what are you doing anyways  
still at the office?

**Wonho:  
  
**

in the middle of working on a new stage prototype for an upcoming show

 **KiKi:**  
on the floor?

 **Wonho:**  
there's more room on the floor  
don't judge

 **KiKi:**  
i mildly will  
also that pic shud be sent to hyungwon  
just saying😏

 **Wonho:**  
does he easily gets swooned by a handsome face?

 **KiKi:**  
you can take your chances🤷‍♂️

* * *

** Hyungwon💚 **

**Wonho:  
  
**

good afternoon my love

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
are you on the floor?

 **Wonho:**  
what is it with you people and floors🤦‍♂️

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
just curious👀

 **Wonho:**  
yes i'm doing my work on the floor  
and before you ask  
it is spacious here  
do not judge

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
wasn't gonna  
i do my work on the floor too sometimes

 **Wonho:**  
🥰  
what have you been up to, love?

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
i have a meeting to attend to in 10 mins so that's peachy🙃

 **Wonho:**  
my baby's working so hard😌✊

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
i give up with you and your nicknames🤦‍♂️

 **Wonho:**  
you shud accept them  
not resist them😘

* * *


	34. Chapter 34

* * *

** Hyungwon💚 **

**Wonho:**  
hello love  
since tomorrow's ur special day would you happen to be free around 9 pm?  
i would like to take you out :)  
 _Delivered✔✔_  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**

* * *

** KiKi **

**Wonho:**  
how much is too much?

 **KiKi:**  
i'm assuming it's abt hyungwon's birthday right?

 **Wonho:**  
ofc!✊  
so  
how much is too much?

 **KiKi:**  
a pathway filled with roses  
and doves all around the branches  
with an orchestra playing

 **Wonho:**  
seriously??  
FUck GODDAMNIT

 **KiKi:**  
wait  
you did not just-

 **Wonho:**  
HAHHAHAHAHA I'M KIDDING  
that would be so extreme considering i've only known him for only a few months

 **KiKi:**  
and yet you call him 'love' without establishing a proper relationship

 **Wonho:**  
that's beside the point👋  
i'm all set for his birthday tho  
plan's all good👌  
i'm just waiting for his reply 😌

 **KiKi:**  
good luck dude😂

 **Wonho:**  
thank u thank u  
i aspire to make him speechless

 **KiKi:**  
that's fairly ambitious

* * *

** Beer Pressure **

**Changkyun:**  
this weekend!  
hyungwon hyung's birthday dinner!  
onz!  
it's on right?

 **KiKi:**  
we have to wait and see if hyungwon is actually free then  
if not we can always have both ur birthday dinners together

 **Wonho:**  
oh changkyun ur birthday's this month too?

 **Changkyun:**  
yeap :)  
on the 26th!

 **Wonho:**  
noted👌  
btw are birthday dinners a tradition for you guys?

 **Joohoney:**  
it is

 **Changkyun:**  
we usually have them during the weekends since the hyungs are busy during the weekdays

 **Wonho:**  
that's nice

**Changkyun:**   
**😊**

**KiKi:**  
why are you still awake changkyun?  
it's almost 12 am

 **Changkyun:**  
i was finishing up an assignment😬  
and i'm waiting to wish hyung!

 **Wonho:**  
guys  
is it normal for hyungwon to reply messages this late?

 **KiKi:**  
wdym?

 **Wonho:**  
i sent him a message earlier about 6 pm and he still hasn't replied

 **KiKi:**  
don't worry  
sometimes when he's really into his work he'll only reply our messages about 2 or 3 am

 **Wonho:**  
owh  
ok then  
.  
.  
.

 **Changkyun:**  
12 am!!!! **🥳🎉**  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**  
is hyung really busy?  
i tried calling him to wish him but he isn't picking up his phone...

 **Shownu:**  
i saw him this afternoon   
and he seemed pretty busy

 **Wonho:**  
lemme try calling him

* * *

 **Hyungwon💚**  
calling...

  
📞

* * *

**Beer Pressure**

**KiKi:**  
did he answer?  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**

 **Wonho:**  
no...  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**  
i tried two more times and they all went to voicemail  
is this anywhere near normal?

 **Shownu:**  
not at all

 **KiKi:**  
shit

 **Changkyun:**  
i'm scared hyung  
i tried again   
and it went to voicemail too

 **Shownu:**  
i'm leaving now  
i'll be there in abt 10 mins

 **Changkyun:**  
careful hyung

 **Wonho:**  
where is he going?

 **Joohoney:**  
his office

 **Changkyun:**  
i'm scared hyung  
what if it happens again?

 **KiKi:  
** please don't panic okay?  
hyungwon will be okay

 **Wonho:**  
you guys are scaring me  
what's going on?!  
why is shownu going to the office?

  
 **Shownu:**  
kihyun  
you need to get to Seoul National University Hospital now

 **KiKi:**  
fuxk fuck fuck  
jooheon can you go to changkyun please

 **Joohoney:**  
i'll be there in 10 mins changkyunnie

 **Changkyun:**  
no hyung i wanna follow too  
take me with you

 **KiKi:**  
changkyun its best that you stay with jooheon first, okay?  
when things are settled then i promise you can see hyungwon

* * *

** KiKi **

**Wonho:**  
KIHYUN   
ffs tell me what's wrong **  
  
  
**

 **KiKi:**  
will you come with me please

 **Wonho:**  
what the fuvk is going on!

 **KiKi:**  
hyungwon collapsed again 

* * *


	35. Chapter 35

* * *

"Where is he? Is he awake!" Kihyun vociferates as soon as Shownu comes into view, sitting at one of the benches with his head in the palm of his hands. Kihyun gets harsh shushes from the hospital staff considering its past midnight and the patients would be asleep, but that's really the least of his concerns. Shownu immediately stands when he sees both Wonho and Kihyun rushing towards him.

"Where is he?" Wonho asks this time. Shownu sighs and points at the door in front of him. They waste no time and enter the ward— Hyungwon had been admitted into a private ward. Both Kihyun and Wonho's heart drop at the sight of the multiple tubes connected to his arms. They also noticed the bandage wrapped around his right temple.

Wonho walks over to his left side while both Kihyun and Shownu stayed on his right.

Kihyun sighs sadly before he brings his hand to push back the younger's long hair that had fallen a little on his face. The most he could do for now is to stay by his friend's side and wait for him to regain consciousness. 

"Why did he collapse?" Wonho asks tightly, eyes never leaving the pale unconscious man. He takes his hand and gently caresses it, shivering slightly from how cold Hyungwon actually feels that it really did scare Wonho.

"Dehydration and extreme stress. He also wasn't eating very well," Shownu explains. "I found him unconscious on his office floor."

Kihyun stays silent the whole time while he continues to comb through the younger's hair lightly, thinking of the many things he wished he had done to prevent this situation _again_.

"This has happened before, hasn't it?" Wonho questions this time and both Shownu and KIhyun shake their heads. 

This wasn't their first experience, oh no, but it never gets easier each time they get this news. Some would think one would simply get used to this—that's just not their case. Each new time they find their friend unconscious whether be in his office or at his home, it always brings an all-new wave of panic to them.

"Idiot," Kihyun mumbles the word then lets out a heavy sigh. "I'll stay for tonight."

"I can stay too," Wonho offers.

"No, it's fine. You both can head home," Kihyun insists. "When he regains consciousness I'll let you know then you can come with Jooheon and Changkyun."

They didn't argue further with this seeing as to how persistent the shorter man is and knowing how persistent he can get as well. And so both Shownu and Wonho left with heavy hearts.

* * *

** JOOHONEY **

**Kihyun:**  
how's changkyun?

 **JOOHONEY:**  
i managed to calm him down  
he fell asleep about half an hour ago

 **Kihyun:**  
ok

 **JOOHONEY:**  
how is he

 **Kihyun:**  
he's stable  
shownu and wonho just left  
i'll be staying with him tonight

 **JOOHONEY:**  
i see

 **Kihyun:**  
he should be awake in a few hours

 **JOOHONEY:**  
just keep us updated  
i'll bring changkyun over once hyungwon's awake

 **Kihyun:**  
i will  
you should rest now

 **JOOHONEY:**  
you too

* * *

Kihyun is primarily a light sleeper compared to the rest of the group. Just by the sound of the door opening or a simple whisper, he would be wide awake (and cursing the source of the sound of course).

It wouldn't be a surprise then that when he feels Hyungwon weakly squeeze the hand he holds he wakes up instantly, looking at him apprehensively.

"Wonnie?" he calls once he sees the younger's face scrunch up a little before groaning feebly. When Kihyun feels another squeeze on his hand, that's when he sighs out in relief.

Hyungwon hasn't come close to opening his eyes yet due to his frail state, but this small gesture was enough to ensure the anxious man that his friend was going to be okay— sadly, one too many experiences thought him this.

But he couldn't ask for anything more knowing that this friend of his would _actually_ wake up in the coming hours.

▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁

Hyungwon wakes up the next day around noon to be greeted by his friends all around his bed. The first person to run into his arms was Changkyun who starts crying out of sheer relief. No matter how much Hyungwon tried to coax the younger boy, reassuring him that he was fine—although he did feel anything but that (but of course he'll never scare Changkyun like that). Changkyun did calm down after a while and he never left Hyungwon's side, not until Kihyun persuaded him to go home when visiting hours are over. Wonho offers to the stay the night with Hyungwon considering Kihyun did the night before. No one was against it and they all left (not without Kihyun reminding Wonho to call him if anything happens). 

"I know that look," Hyungwon says after a moment of silence. "I'm not doing this to gain pity. I don't need any."

"So why would you keep doing this to yourself?" Wonho asks, voice lacing with sorrow. He settles on the chair just beside the bed. "Don't you care about others? How worried they get to see you here in this condition? How afraid they felt to find you unconscious on the floor?"

"Of course I know how they feel!" Hyungwon splutters. "Don't you think I see it in their fucking faces every time they visit me? Shownu looks so fucking tired. Kihyun wouldn't do anything or go anywhere until I wake up and even when I do he's still hesitant to do anything else but to take care of me and Changkyun—fuck, he always looks at me like he almost lost me. So, of course, I know what I put them through!"

"Then why?" Wonho asks softly.

Something triggers the younger. Could it be the way the older is looking at him? Or perhaps how he sounded so...understanding, so gentle and comforting? Whatever it is it struck the younger's heart, making him feel queasy as his eyes slowly start to burn. His lips tremble and eyes turn glossy. Wonho sighs then takes the slender hand lying limply against the other's body. He brings the hand up to his lips, deliberately warming it before he plants a light kiss on it, leaving his lips to linger there for a moment.

"I hate this," Hyungwon mumbles, so soft, almost like a whisper. "I hate how things are right now. I want to go back to the times where everything was _okay,_ when we were all actually happy—not like this... What's the point anyway, leaving a life you have no will to live for?" Just the sound of how broken Hyungwon says it breaks Wonho's heart. The man's in so much pain that he uses self-destruction as a coping mechanism.

"You're not alone, love. We will all go through it together and never leave your side."

" _Never leave my side..._ " Hyungwon repeats those oh-so-familiar words bitterly before eliciting a sarcastic chuckle. "That's what everyone says but at the end that's what everyone does," Hyungwon derides and snatches his hand away from the warm grasp.

Hyungwon turns his full-back on him, wrapping the blanket on himself and closes his tired eyes. He finally lets his held back tears fall silently, hidden from the man who has so much concern and care for him. He keeps his sobs within and sniffles to a minimum as he tries his best to fall back into sleep. Every waking conscious moment is agonizing for Hyungwon and if possible he would like to sleep and not wake up.

For most of his days, he just wants to not feel anything at all—tonight would be one of them. And that's probably why he thanks his aching body for all this throbbing pain. It keeps his mind off many other emotions that he would rather not feel.

* * *


	36. Chapter 36

* * *

**Beer Pressure**

**Jooheon:**

someone please tell hyung to give me my much-needed attention

 **Ki🐹:**  
where are you guys anyways

 **Jooheon:**  
i like to say business retreat (?)

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
you both don't even work in the same company (?)  
as i recall anyways

 **Jooheon:**  
being a music producer i like to venture out to gain some inspiration

 **Nunu🐻:**  
he followed me here

 **Ki🐹:**  
😳

 **Jooheon:**  
that is so out of context!  
i asked him if he was free  
he said he had a business meeting to attend to  
so i said, 'cool can i follow?'

 **Nunu🐻:**  
no  
you said, 'cool let's go!'

 **Jooheon:**  
same thing👋

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
good morning!

 **Ki🐹:**  
it's afternoon changkyun  
did you just wake up?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
oops?  
i forgot to set my alarm   
and i guess hyung forgot as well

 **Ki🐹:**  
he shouldn't be having an alarm in the first place  
at least not for the first week

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
don't worry hyung  
he's sleeping well  
in fact he's still sleeping😌

 **Nunu🐻:**  
as he should be

**Jooheon:**

we moved inside and he still refuses to give me attention

 **Ki🐹:**  
didn't you go there to work?

 **Jooheon:**  
i came for _inspiration_

 **Ki🐹:**  
a.k.a working

**Jooheon:**   
**😑**

**I.M Kyun🐺:**

🥺🥺🥺

 **Ki🐹:**  
changkyun...??

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
it's honey waffle biscuit😊

 **Nunu🐻:**  
i don't think he means what flavor they are

 **Jooheon:**  
this is golden👌

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
he looks so adorable  
and peaceful 🥺

 **Nunu🐻:**  
he's going to murder you once he sees this

 **Ki🐹:**  
do you not have plates or something?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
no...  
i just got bored waiting for hyung to wake up

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
at least he's sleeping well

 **Ki🐹:**  
i'm coming over after work changkyun

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
okay hyung!

 **Ki🐹:**  
did he take his medicines before he slept?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
yeap yeap

 **Jooheon:**  
are the biscuits still on his face?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
ofc not hyung  
i was hungry!

 **Wonho:**  
changkyun's birthday is coming soon right?

 **Jooheon:**  
yes

 **Wonho:**  
new plates for changkyun😌

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
i'm not plate deprived!

* * *

**Ki🐹**

**Hyungwon:**  
have you ever gotten a honey aftertaste after taking any sort of medication?  
or perhaps a honey-flavored medication exists??

 **Ki🐹:**  
that's a thing?  
 _Read✔✔_  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**

* * *

**Beer Pressure**

**Hyungwon:**  
IM CHANGKYUN

 **Jooheon:**  
run changkyunnie!

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
i love you hyungwon hyung💜

 **Hyungwon:**  
come out of the bathroom

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
are you perhaps near the kitchen utensil👉👈

 **Hyungwon:**  
i will have a kitchen utensil with me if you don't come out in the next minute

 **Jooheon:**  
bless your soul changkyunnie

* * *

**Ki🐹**

.  
.  
.

 **Hyungwon:**  
nvm i found out why i woke up with honey aftertaste

* * *


	37. Chapter 37

* * *

**Minhyukkie💙**

**Hyungwon:**  
hi baby  
it's been a while  
i guess you would've figured out what happened by now...  
am i proud of myself?  
not entirely  
i just hate how i worried everyone  
when it comes to me?  
i'm more pleased with the pain and the overwhelming feeling of tiredness   
i like how i tire myself so much to the point i don't have to feel any of these emotions  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
  
i haven't been going to work for a week upon the doctor's order and of course, the tight surveillance from the others  
i don't exactly have a clue as to how much i have put my body through until i really feel every aching muscle in my body just to get out of bed  
i've really outdone myself this time, haven't i?  
if you could tell me some other way to distract myself, i would more than gladly do it  
i'm desperate at this point if you don't already see it  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
  
should i just leave instead?  
it saves everyone the trouble  
one less problem to worry  
someone else could be a much better co-CEO than me  
my parents don't have to keep stressing about their emotionally unstable son...  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
  
minhyukkie  
can you tell me where you are  
i bet wherever you are is pretty peaceful, happy even  
i like to think so  
i wouldn't want you to be in any other situation  
i hope you're doing so much better than i am here  
i'm merely just existing at this point  
i don't look forward to anything  
i wake up just for the sake of it  
and i hope to end my day by passing out due to all the exhaustion  
and maybe, for now, that's okay  
 _Sent✔_  
  
  


* * *


	38. Chapter 38

* * *

It's basically a habit as of now for the older to kiss the younger's cheek whenever they meet as a form of greeting. Although Hyungwon did object the first few times about this, the persistence of the older had him eventually giving up. But that doesn't mean he reciprocates this gesture.

To say Wonho is persistent is likely an understatement, but the fact that Hyungwon doesn't easily give in excites Wonho.

"How are you doing, my love?" Wonho asks once he places a habitual kiss on the younger's cheek.

"Well, I had breakfast, Kihyun brought me lunch and I had leftovers for dinner. I also took my medicines after every meal," Hyungwon point black states it. "Are you proud?" he asks haughtily as he crosses his lanky arms.

Wonho flashes a satisfied smile. "Of course I am, love."

"You just finish work?"

"I did," Wonho nods as he makes his way into the younger's house. "And I thought why not spend your last resting day watching a movie with me!"

"Are you that bored?"

"More so I want to keep you company," Wonho answers as-a-matter-of-factly. The older falls onto one of the couches with Hyungwon sitting down close by. "How do you feel about horror movies?"

"You hate them," Hyungwon states with a raised brow.

"Ah my love, but you don't."

"We could perhaps settle on a rom-com? I don't mind that either." The elder's smile only grew upon hearing this.

"Does this mean you're not kicking me out?"

" _Not yet_ , at least." Wonho places an arm over Hyungwon's shoulder and pulls him in carefully. Hyungwon may be sly with his answers but he will never admit—at least not now—that the older's presence is slowly growing onto him. It's not to say that it is bad, if anything it is somewhat a refresher and this is good, great even, but it is also something he is afraid of deep inside.

This feeling that's stirring the pit of his stomach is familiar yet he once swore he would only feel this way for one person and one person only. This is where the guilt slowly comes seeping in before it fully consumes him to which eventually leads him to shut everyone out. He doesn't do it intentionally but it's almost like a defense mechanism to protect him. He refused to let people in before and when he had let his walls break and his guard down he understood why people wanted to be loved. The thing is he only saw a half of the whole picture. He knew they were consequences and he knew there was a possibility of heartbreak yet he did expect for it to be _this_ painful; one where it was so unbearable that he wished he had never opened up in the first place.

If he had kept his guard up and built firmer walls he knows he will still get hurt but maybe just not as bad as he's feeling now, that's what Hyungwon thinks anyways.

* * *

**Beer Pressure**

**Hoseok (Lee):**

😆✌

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok...

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
yes, love?

 **Hyungwon:**  
1\. stop calling me that especially in this public chatroom!  
2\. you said it was for safekeeping😑

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
the others are for safekeeping, i can reassure you, my love😌✋

 **Ki🐹:**  
that means there's more👀

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
R  
U  
TOGETHER  
????

 **Ki🐹:**  
i support✊

 **Nunu🐻:**  
i do too✋

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
omg guys i'm gonna cry  
they're finally together😭

 **Hyungwon:**  
sorry to burst your bubble changkyunnie  
we are not together

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
not officially😉

 **Hyungwon:**  
do you want me to kick you out?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
if i manage to swoon you, you would think twice

 **Hyungwon:**  
pfft good luck swooning me 🙄  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**

 **Jooheon:**  
are they okay?

 **Nunu🐻:**  
why do you ask

 **Jooheon:**  
it's been a while

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
they just disappeared

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
the turtle has swooned ✔

 **Jooheon:**  
so unexpected😂😂

 **Ki🐹:**  
wait  
 _ **@Hyungwon**_ sErioUsly???

* * *


	39. Chapter 39

* * *

**Chaebugi🐢**

**Kihyun:**  
HeLlooo??  
is it true?  
you actually got swooned😂

**Chaebugi🐢:**  
shut up for christ sake

 **Kihyun:**  
oh god😂😂😂😂

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
yea yea very funny

 **Kihyun:**  
do i want to know how?

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
🔪

 **Kihyun:**  
violent much

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
🅰🅱🆎🅾

 **Kihyun:**  
er... what?

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
they didn't have any blood emoji  
let me live

 **Kihyun:**  
blood emoji-  
what 😓

**Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
🔪🅱  
oh wAit  
💉💉💉

 **Kihyun:**  
i'm lowkey afraid now

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
😇

 **Kihyun:**  
...  
anyways  
are you guys back from your date?

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
it's not a date...  
he just dropped by to check up on me  
and then we watched a movie  
hoseok's in the kitchen making supper now🤷‍♂️

 **Kihyun:**  
exactly not a date😗

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
go happily choke on a feather

 **Kihyun:**  
does hoseok know this kinky side of you😭✋

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
duck  
you  
hold up

 **Kihyun:**  
duck you too🦆  
 _Delivered✔✔_  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.  
** _Read✔✔_ **  
**

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
sorry  
hoseok was looking for the cheese

 **Kihyun:  
** i'm gonna assume he's making ramen

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
wow so he's really known to love ramen huh

 **Kihyun:**  
stick around longer and you might realize that all the bills aren't going for electricity but for ramen instead

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
good to know👌

 **Kihyun:**  
how do you feel

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
i feel fine kihyun

 **Kihyun:**  
what do you think about hoseok

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
is this some kind of a trick question

 **Kihyun:**  
just curious

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
he's a really nice guy

 **Kihyun:**  
you seem genuinely happy with him

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
i mean i'm happy with you guys as well

 **Kihyun:**  
wonnie  
i want to point out something  
don't hate me for this  
i know you hate talking about this or even bringing this topic up  
but i just want you to see what i see

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
wdym...

**Kihyun:  
  
**

****

****

****

Read _✔✔  
.  
.  
._

**Chaebugi🐢:**  
kihyun what are you trying to do  
  


 **Kihyun:**  
i missed some things in the picture

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
i miss him 

**Kihyun:**  
i miss him too  
but that's not what i meant

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
?

 **Kihyun:**  
i miss your smile  
i miss _that_ smile in those pictures  
  


 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
he was wonderful, wasn't he?

 **Kihyun:**  
he truly was  
and it's no wonder you fell in love with him

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
i want to show you something too  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**

**Kihyun:**  
i've never seen these before

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
that's because we took these in private  
we were planning to show these during our wedding reception

 **Kihyun:**  
i'm so sorry

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
it's not your fault kihyun  
it's nobody's fault  
i just  
i guess i understand what you mean  
i miss the me i was with him

 **Kihyun:**  
you're not completely gone hyungwon

 **Chaebugi🐢** **:**  
you sure about that :')

 **Kihyun:  
  
  
** wonho sent me this the other day  
do you see that smile  
because i do  
it's the same as then  
i may not fully understand what you're going through  
but from what i can see wonho really makes you happy  
idk if you've admitted this to yourself before  
but this is what me and the others have seen in the past month  
 _Read✔✔_

* * *

**Wonhoe**

**Wonhoe:**  
hey  
did something happen to hyungwon?  
he started crying out of nowhere  
i'm really worried  
i tried asking him what's wrong but he doesn't wanna tell me  
i noticed that he's been texting you so i just wanted to ask...

 **Kihyun:**  
he's just really overwhelmed atm

 **Wonhoe:**  
what do i do kihyun?  
he's crying so much  
fuck i hate seeing him like this

 **Kihyun:**  
don't ask him anything  
just stay next to him and comfort him   
he's tired so he'll eventually fall asleep

 **Wonhoe:**  
i can't just have him cry himself to sleep

 **Kihyun:**  
trust me wonho  
that's the best any of us can do now  
i know it's hard to see him like this

 **Wonhoe:**  
okok i'll try  
goodnight ki

* * *


	40. Chapter 40

* * *

It had been so long since Hyungwon had woken up in someone's arms. He still remembers the first time he had woken in someone's arms and oddly enough he liked the feeling. He liked how this one small gesture makes him feel so warm and so safe. He used to always find solace and comfort on his own with having little affection from his own parents. And truthfully Hyungwon was fine with that. He liked having only his own company around and he liked the privacy he had.

Hyungwon was one who was always alone and he didn't mind it one bit.

All throughout middle school and high school, he had minimal to no friends and that would be partially on his part to blame because he didn't like getting close to people. He did, of course, get the occasional company of Changkyun who had taken a special liking towards him from the moment Hyungwon and his family moved next door to his house—but besides Changkyun, Hyungwon doesn't really associate with people much. It's not that he was antisocial in nature; if anything the taller male was a social butterfly in his kiddy days. But as he grew older and as he slowly learns how people around him think, it repulsed him knowing that more than half the people that were friends with him only wanted him around because of the money he had and not for who he truly was as an individual.

That changed when he met Kihyun in university. Hyungwon really didn't think much about the shorter male that sat next to him on the first day of his Psychology class. Kihyun had smiled at him as a common courtesy and Hyungwon replied with what he thinks is a smile (?)—to this day he doesn't even know if he really did smile back at Kihyun (but it really doesn't matter now because they are all here now). From being seatmates to Kihyun asking Hyungwon's number to ask multiple questions about the one class they share considering the shorter had (mostly) never paid attention in that class, Hyungwon somehow finds himself with friends; actual people who wanted to hang out with him for him and none of them cared about the fact that his father has a leading company or that Hyungwon has the highest possibility of inheriting the company wealth in the future. 

That's when he slowly started opening up. He thought there wouldn't be anything wrong with letting a few meters of his walls crumble and open up his heart just a little. And he liked it even more—if not loved it. And maybe that's why he didn't immediately pull away when he wakes up in Wonho's arms, who holds him tight yet so carefully like he's a porcelain doll. But the moment didn't last long when the black sea of thoughts slowly start seeping in. It's almost like the older's touch burned and he slowly moved away and turns the opposite side, facing away from the older male and trying to fall asleep once again while pretending that his heart didn't just beat a little faster being in Wonho's safe arms.

"Hoseok!"

"Hyungwon..."

The younger glares up at him from beneath the comforter. Wonho was already fully dressed in his appropriate office attire when he goes to wake the younger up.

"I am fine. I can drive myself," he exasperates, covering his entire self with the comforter once again and rolls the other, thinking it's a strategic tactic to make the older male leave him alone. Wonho coos at him internally.

"But there's nothing wrong with driving you to work now, is it?" the older male counters as he goes over the other side.

"You're lucky I haven't kicked your ass out for staying the night." Wonho can only grin at him. 

"I don't see anything wrong with that also. Now, you should really get ready if you want to make it in time. I'll have breakfast ready."

Hyungwon grunts out loud in defeat and stomps his way out of the comforter and into his bathroom.

▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁

"What time do you end today?" Wonho asks once he stops the car right in front of Hyungwon's company. 

"I can take the cab, Hoseok. I'm not suddenly incapable of doing things on my own just because I got admitted into the hospital."

Wonho puts the gear into parking which makes Hyungwon turn to look at him, confused.

"Hasn't it occurred to you that maybe I'm doing all these because I want to, not because I think you're incapable?"

Hyungwon opens his mouth to answer, perhaps to elicit a sarcastic comment but instead, he doesn't, more so his mind suddenly goes blank and he closes his mouth.

"You know just because you keep pushing me away doesn't mean that you'll eventually get rid of me. That's not how _this_ or anything else in life works. I told you to give me a chance..."

"And I have—"

"But not entirely," Wonho cuts in. "Sometimes I feel like I really have a chance with you and other times I question if I just interpreted it all wrong. I know you're hurting, _Hyungwon_ , and you're justified to deal with the pain however you want to but when you push me away like this or any other time it hurts me _too_."

Hyungwon is speechless, shocked really as guilt slowly stirs in the pit of his stomach when he hears the other utter his actual name than his usual pet name. It doesn't settle well on the older's lips, almost like something foreign had been said. 

"I don't want to give up on you—not just yet, but if this is how it's going to be in the future then maybe I should stop trying so hard, right?"

Hyungwon looks away silently, biting his lower lip as he scrambles in his brain to say something, anything really because suddenly the mere thought of stopping whatever they have scares him. Hyungwon didn't want to open his heart for anyone (and he still holds his ground on this) but he also didn't want to stop seeing Wonho; and Hyungwon doesn't know why. 

"I'll see you around then. Please take care of yourself, Hyungwon."

Even after all this, Wonho still manages to smile at him so kindly, bidding him goodbye. But maybe for the first time, Hyungwon can see that his smile was sad.

Hyungwon gets out of the car, still without managing to speak a single word. Wonho looks at him one last time before he drives off.

* * *

** Hoseok (Lee) **

**Hyungwon:**  
i'm sorry hoseok

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** what for?

 **Hyungwon:  
** for the way i've acted  
for the way i've treated you...  
you deserve better

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** what makes you think so

 **Hyungwon:**  
you shouldn't be around someone like me

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** no offense hyungwon but who are you to tell me what i deserve

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm just saying there are better guys out there

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** and yet here i am chasing you  
funny world we live in isn't it?

 **Hyungwon:**  
hilarious actually...

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** i care about you a lot hyungwon

 **Hyungwon:**  
perhaps a little too much don't you think

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
it's not a crime last time i checked  
there's nothing wrong with caring for someone a little too much

 **Hyungwon:**  
how are you so nice?  
i don't even deserve your kindness right now  
i've been an absolute shit to you

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** well i understand that you're not doing all this intentionally

 **Hyungwon:**  
it's still not an excuse...

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** do you want to grab dinner with me tonight?

 **Hyungwon:**  
you still wanna have dinner with me after everything?

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** i mean you texted me first and i assume it's not to end whatever it is we have because if it were you would've told me straight up

 **Hyungwon:  
** you're right  
it isn't ****

 **** **Hoseok (Lee):**  
so what do you say?  
  


 **Hyungwon:**  
see you at 9 :)

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** see you my love :)

* * *


	41. Chapter 41

* * *

** Joo🍯 **

**Chankyun:**  
hyung  
are you sure they won't go ballistic over this?  
i think they'll even hate me

 **Joo🍯:**  
go balistic?  
ofc  
hate you?  
not even a chance

 **Changkyun:**  
how sure are you😫

 **Joo🍯:  
** this is probably nothing  
watch their reaction if you told them that you and i are a thing

 **Changkyun:**  
i-  
ehat?  
hyugn😳😳

 **Joo🍯:**  
i'm just saying changkyun

 **Changkyun:**  
hyung...  
do you like me?

 **Joo🍯:**  
who wouldn't like a cute guy like you😉

 **Changkyun:**  
😫  
you're not helping hyung

* * *

** Beer Pressure **

**Nunu🐻:**

i give you a lost hamster

 **Ki🐹:**  
excuse me??

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
you are excused😌

 **Ki🐹:**  
🦆 U

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
but i don't like ducks?

 **Hyungwon:**  
he means 'fuck you'

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
owhh  
also love, you've been gone for a while  
i hope you didn't ditch me💔

 **Hyungwon:**  
the line here is pretty long  
i'll be back soon

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
are you guys on a date😗

**Hoseok (Lee):**

🥰🥰

 **Hyungwon:**  
i really need to stop letting you take pictures of me

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
but why, love?

 **Hyungwon:**  
by 'safekeeping' do you mean showcasing it in this group?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
you pick up fast my love😌

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
 ** _@Hyungwon @Hoseok (Lee)_** 🥺💜

**Ki🐹:**

i give you a daydreaming bear 😛

 **Jooheon:**  
are you guys on a date too 👀

 **Ki🐹:**  
wHat

 **Nunu🐻:**  
NO  
i'm just accompanying him

 **Ki🐹:**  
^ what he said

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
suspiciouso 🤨  
anyways hyungs  
i mayhaps have done something 👉👈

 **Ki🐹:**  
don't tell me you broke some kind of law

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
no...

 **Nunu🐻:**  
should we be concerned?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
not really

**Hyungwon:**  
IS THAT A FUCKING TATTOO I SEE???!!

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
uh  
shit

 **Ki🐹:**  
you got your brow pierced?? wth changkyun

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
it looks good on you changkyun👌  
what made you decide to get it?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
so   
i was feeling bold

 **Hyungwon:**  
you were feeling bold...

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
not an impressive excuse i know

 **Ki🐹:**  
CHANGKYUN!

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
come on hyung  
i look good!  
like really really good

 **Jooheon:**  
that you do :)

 **I.M Kyun🐺:  
** :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
are we simply going to ignore the fact that changkyun got a tattoo and didn't even tell us about it

 **Nunu🐻:**  
were you feeling bold about the tattoo as well?

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
that  
haha  
funny story actually

 **Hyungwon:**  
IM CHANGKYUN

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
so you see  
i lost a dare...

 **Hyungwon:**  
yoU lOSt a DArE¿¿  
that is no excuse

 **Ki🐹:**  
i'm with you on this **_@Hyungwon_**

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
but you love me hyung 🥺  
plus i really think that the tattoo compliments the brow piercing well

 **Jooheon:**  
i think so too

 **Hyungwon:**  
and yet i don't give a fuck about your opinion _**@Jooheon**_ :))

 **Ki🐹:**  
okay hyungwon no need to go so aggressive on jooheon

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
don't worry changkyun  
i'll hide you

 **Hyungwon:**  
Lee Hoseok😤

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
yes, my love😌

* * *


	42. Chapter 42

* * *

** Ki🐹 **

**Hyungwon:**  
so  
i have a piece of info  
and idk how to deal with it alone  
i'm in desperate need to share

 **Ki🐹:**  
it's nothing illegal right  
because if it is then sign me out  
i dont wanna go to jail with you

 **Hyungwon:**  
ouch  
that's disappointing honestly  
what happened to being "partners in crime"

 **Ki🐹:**  
when i say that  
i mean anything but doing crimes

 **Hyungwon:**  
good to know  
i know who to frame for murder now

 **Ki🐹:**  
excuse me?

 **Hyungwon:**  
you're mildly excused   
anyways  
the piece of info  
is  
did you know  
HoSEOk  
anD  
muSCles!??!  
LIKe wOW  


like wowww 👀

 **Ki🐹:  
** you said 'like wow' twice😂  
and also i assumed you knew he was built

 **Hyungwon:**  
i mean ofc i knew he was built  
but like  
i didn't know he was _this_ built!

 **Ki🐹:**  
he sent you that on purpose didn't he😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
maybe  
but like who's complaining

 **Ki🐹:**  
fuck you're swooned

 **Hyungwon:**  
oh shut up  
i just needed to rant about this to someone  
now i shall resume my work  
good day mate👋

 **Ki🐹:**  
i'm always at your service🙏  
 _Read✔✔_  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**

this totally slipped my mind  
are you free after work  
as in right now?  
i need your help  
 _Delivered✔✔  
_.  
.  
.  
 _Read✔✔_

 **Hyungwon:**  
free? no  
location? gym  
heartrate? escalating

  
 **Ki🐹:**  
what?  
you're at a FucKing fYm??  
GYM**

 **Hyungwon:**  
so  
i  
might've  
complimented him a little  
just like this "👌"  
lowkey minuscule  
barely any if you really look at it

 **Ki🐹:**  
you boosted his ego  
nice!  
but why are _you_ at the gym???  
last time i checked that equation doesn't even sound right

 **Hyungwon:**  
he mayhaps sent me his gym location together with another selfie👀

 **Ki🐹:**  
he's making you workout??  
miracles do happen😭✊  
god bless lee hoseok and his oversized heart🙏

 **Hyungwon:**  
fuck no  
stretching in the morning is good enough exercise   
he just invited me, you know

 **Ki🐹:**  
...no  
i don't know

**Hyungwon:  
  
**

FUCK  
now you know

 **Ki🐹:**  
does wonho know about this?

 **Hyungwon:**  
about what  
me saying _fuck_ internally every second?

 **Ki🐹:**  
about you probably getting a boner just from staring at him

 **Hyungwon:**  
i DO NOT have a boner -_-

 **Ki🐹:**  
wait a little longer

 **Hyungwon:**  
too bad  
he's gone to the showers :p

 **Ki🐹:**  
indeed too bad for _you_ 😛  
wait till he hears about this

 **Hyungwon:**  
YOO FUCKING KIHYUN YOU BETTER KEEP THAT POTTY MOUTH OF YOURS SHUT BEFORE I DEFAME YOU FOR FUCKING MURDER

 **Ki🐹:**  
why are you always so aggressive towards me🥺

 **Hyungwon:**  
it's called tough love😘

 **Ki🐹:**  
you can keep your 'tough love' to yourself  
i rather not feel any love

 **Hyungwon:**  
🔪🅱💉

 **Ki🐹:**  
how the fuck did you know that my blood type is B!

**Hyungwon:**   
**🤫**

**Ki🐹:**  
don't bother finding me i'll be hiding👋

* * *


	43. Chapter 43

* * *

**Hoseok (Lee)**

**Hyungwon:**  
hey hoseok

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
HYUGNWON!!!

 **Hyungwon:**  
yea ?😂

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
fuck sorry  
it's just  
you texted me first

 **Hyungwon:**  
this isn't my first time(?)

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
first time that you're willingly texting me

 **Hyungwon:**  
when you put it that way...

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
oh love i didn't mean it in a bad way  
it shows that you're really giving me a chance  
and i'm so happy about that  
honest

 **Hyungwon:**  
i suppose  
can i be honest about something too?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i always want you to be honest with me  
even with the most embarrassing things

 **Hyungwon:**  
i want to take whatever it is we have slow  
i hope you don't mind

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
ofc love  
i wouldn't want to push you where you're uncomfortable or that you feel like everything's going at an overwhelming pace  
we can take it as slow as you want

 **Hyungwon:**  
thank you...  
and hoseok

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
yes, love?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i just  
i don't really know how to put it to make this to make it sound less awkward i guess?  
i've known you for almost 4 months now...

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
is everything okay love?

 **Hyungwon:  
** it's just  
you make me happy  
i know it's sudden  
but i think you deserve to know this  
i owe you that much honesty

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
you have no idea how hard i'm smiling right now!

 **Hyungwon:**  
picture for prove ;)

**Hoseok (Lee):**

**❤**

**Hyungwon:**  
:)

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
will you be going to bed soon?  
it's pretty late

 **Hyungwon:**  
in an hour or two?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
Hyungwon...

 **Hyungwon:**  
i know i know  
i promise i won't overwork myself too much

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
that's not very much reassuring  
have you eaten at all today?

 **Hyungwon:**  
breakfast😬

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
please don't tell me it's coffee  
because that is not called breakfast

 **Hyungwon:**  
i shall remain silent then  
🤐

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
hyungwon please  
the last time you collapsed truly scared me

 **Hyungwon:**  
i know...  
and i'm sorry that i have to put you through all that  
if it makes you feel any better i'll be having breakfast with changkyun tomorrow

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
does that mean you're free to have dinner with me?

 **Hyungwon:**  
that depends  
what are you suggesting?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
ramen!  
ofc💁‍♂️

 **Hyungwon:**  
some kimchi stew would be nice too :)

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i can order some for you, love

 **Hyungwon:**  
onz then☺

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
do i get one as well?

 **Hyungwon:**  
one what?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
goodnight selfie :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
should i

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
if you want to😊

 **Hyungwon:**  
will it make a whole lot of difference?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
tremendous actually  
it's scientifically proven to help with _my_ sleep  
i have stats to prove it

 **Hyungwon:**  
hmm...  
  
hi :)

  
 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
😍  
you know i'm surprised no agency has cast you for modeling yet

 **Hyungwon:**  
i was planning to go into modeling actually

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
what happened:(

 **Hyungwon:**  
my parents didn't approve  
said it was a waste of time  
hence why i'm the co-CEO now

 **Hoseok(Lee):**  
i'm sorry love

 **Hyungwon:**  
don't worry about it👋  
all is well

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
well, love, you can always come and model for my company   
we're always looking for models especially when we design our prototypes for the items of clothing  
i'm sure they'll love you!

 **Hyungwon:**  
a new job offer?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
it's open whenever you want it  
i can even pull some strings for you😉

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'll take it!

* * *


	44. Chapter 44

* * *

**Beer Pressure**

  
**Kiki:**  
our changkyunnie is graduating 🥰

 **Changkyun:  
** 😗✌

 **Wonho:  
** congrats changkyun!

 **Changkyun:  
** thank you🥺

 **Joohoney:**  
it's next week right?

 **Changkyun:  
** yeaps!  
and my parents are coming!!

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
as they should

 **KiKi:**  
but yours didn't show up tho _ **@Hyungwon💚**_  
i mean i don't remember seeing them

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
they did  
correction: they _almost_ did  
they just realized later on that they were a week late🤷‍♂️

 **Wonho:  
** my poor hyungwonnie🥺

 **Changkyun:  
** but we all came for hyung!

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
which i truly appreciate🥰

 **Joohoney:**  
🤧

 **Changkyun:  
** ☺

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
 _ **@Joohoney**_ go to the clinic 🙃

 **Joohoney:**  
🙃

 **Changkyun:  
** will you guys be coming too🥺  
i mean its on the weekday  
and i completely understand if you guys can't make it...

 **Shownu:**  
we'll try our best  
okay kyun?

 **Changkyun:  
** okay🥺

 **Wonho:  
** what are you planning to do after this changkyun?

 **Changkyun:  
** well  
i majored in accounting and finance  
so i was planning to be an intern at hyungwon hyung's company   
i'll see where i will go from there

 **Wonho:  
** all the best :)

 **Changkyun:  
** thanks hyung

* * *

**Hyungwon💚**

**Wonho:  
** please tell me you're going for changkyun's graduation

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
hello to you too

 **Wonho:  
** hello my love  
now tell me you are

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
ofc i don't plan on missing it

**Wonho:  
🙂🙂🙂**

**Hyungwon💚:**  
lemme guess

 **Wonho:  
** i'm pretty much an open book love especially when it comes to you  
plus i like to think of it as saving fuel

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
saving fuel...

 **Wonho:  
** i don't mind the driving

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
good  
because i was planning to sleep at the passenger's seat anyways

 **Wonho:  
** it's settled then😌  
his graduation is in the morning i presume?

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
oddly that's their photo-taking session  
changkyun sent me the itinerary and it says that the students will go up on stage around 2pm?

 **Wonho:  
** you're not working then are you?

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
unfortunately i am :')

 **Wonho:  
** i'll come during your lunch break then  
take care love

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
you too hoseok

* * *

▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁

"You know, the whole point of a _'surprise'_ is that the people planning it should _all_ arrive much earlier than the person they're going to give the surprise to," Kihyun complains over the line.

"We're on the way!" Wonho exclaims and just then the cashier yells _'Next customer!'._ Hyungwon and him advance forward where Hyungwon deals with the cashier. Wonho hears the other male facepalming through the line.

"Please don't tell me you guys are at some fast-food chain..."

"We were planning to initially, but then Hyungwon left his office a little later than expected. So I can promise you that we'll be on our way once we pay for these flowers," he reassures.

"You guys— _Kihyun, go help Jooheon with the cake,_ " he hears Shownu instruct to which he assumes the older had snatched the phone away from Kihyun.

"Ignore him. Just make sure you're all here in 30 minutes. Changkyun will be up soon."

"We will." Shownu mumbles an _'okay'_ then ends the call. Just as Wonho puts his phone away Hyungwon's done with the payment. He sees that the younger had attached a cute greeting card together with the bouquet.

"What did Kihyun say?" Hyungwon asks.

"The usual nagging," Wonho shrugs. "Do you wanna get anything else?" Hyungwon thinks for a moment before shaking his head. And so they left for Changkyun's university with 15 minutes to spare.

* * *

**KiKi**

**KiKi:**  
please tell me you're parking your car or something

 **Wonho:**  
we are :)  
parked ✅

 **KiKi:**  
thank the lord

 **Wonho:**  
dramatic hamster :p  
that was hyungwon!  
but he's right tho  


 **KiKi:**  
...  
what?

 **Wonho:**  
just wanted to show you how pretty he looks in the flower crown i bought him  
the color suits him well👍  
  


 **KiKi:**  
just get here  
BOTH OF YOU

 **Wonho:**  
fUck Yoo 💁‍♂️  
 _Read✔✔_  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**  
that was hyungwon again

* * *


	45. Chapter 45

* * *

**Hoseok (Lee)**

**Hyungwon:**  
so i heard the 1st of march is a pretty special day

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
pray tell my love🤔

 **Hyungwon:**  
a little birdie told me a muscleman's birthday will take place on that very auspicious day

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i see you asked him huh😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
😗  
anyways  
i'm not good with surprises or coming up with any sort of gift-giving  
i'm sorry if that's what you were expecting  
but i can treat you to anything you want :)

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
it still baffles me how you're willingly giving a chance to this relationship  
not that i'm not happy about it  
but just saying✋

 **Hyungwon:**  
i know it's not the best effort, but i'm trying

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
you don't have to try so hard, love  
you've already won me over in case you couldn't tell

 **Hyungwon:**  
but i want a relationship where each partner contributes something  
so i like to do my part thank you very much

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
does that mean i can officially call you my boyfriend?

  
 **Hyungwon:**  
maybe not _that_ fast...  
if you don't mind

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i understand

 **Hyungwon:**  
thank you  
so, any specific gift ideas?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i have everything i need...  
how about a kiss?  
our very first kiss as your present to me

 **Hyungwon:**  
i can't tell if you're joking right now

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
why would i be joking about this?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm really sorry hoseok

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
is it too fast as well?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm sorry

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
it's fine  
a simple day out with you will be nice too :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
really? that's all?  
and gifts?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i don't need those :)

Hyungwon:  
if you're worried about pricing you don't have to  
just name me anything and i'll get it

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i want chae hyungwon on my birthday  
you think that's a possible enough gift?

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok :(  
i'll feel bad

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
and i promise you that if i can spend the whole day with you it is better than any gift

* * *

**Minhyukkie💙**

**Hyungwon:**  
i really can't bring myself to get any closer minhyuk  
the most i can give him is a hug  
although he does kisses me on the cheek once in a while  
but that's that  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
  
idk  
i feel so guilty if i choose to go any further than that  
it's like i can't betray you that way  
but the funny thing is you're not mine anymore so why am i feeling this way?  
and i'm still texting you...  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
  
it's so messed up  
i want everything to go right  
i want this, whatever it is i have with him, i want it to be right  
i don't want to mess this one good thing that has finally happened in my life  
i know he has his patience too  
it's only a matter of time before he decides to walk away  
and to be honest minhyuk, i'm scared if he were to do that  
i feel happy, so much happier than i did before and i'm so afraid to go back to how things were  
do you think he'll stay just a little while more, just long enough for me to open up further?  
i know it's not fair to him but i really hope so  
 _Sent✔_  
  
  


* * *


	46. Chapter 46

* * *

"Hey, calm down," Wonho tries to appease Hyungwon, thinking he could calm the younger by bringing him out of the room.

"Why did you drag me out!"

"Hyungwon—"

"I will fucking murder him!" Hyungwon seethes, as he clenches onto both of Wonho's arms, digging his nails into them. The older immediately takes hold of both his upper arms and tries to pry them off. He succeeds and pushes him away slightly before holding both the hands, squeezing them occasionally.

"Seriously Hyungwon, you need to take a breather." The said male sends a deep glare his way, clearly not fond of the statement one bit. "Changkyun's fine so, calm down."

"That fucker," he mutters bleakly. "Changkyun broke his fucking nose because that fucker brought him out to drink!"

"Hyungwon, Changkyun started the fight, _not_ Jooheon," Wonho tries to explain calmly. Wonho himself doesn't understand why the younger holds so much hatred towards Jooheon especially in a situation like this where he clearly isn't to blame for.

"But none of this would've happened if _he_ didn't bring Changkyun out in the first place."

"Okay, come on." Wonho tugs at one of Hyungwon's hands. "We're going to go take a walk for a moment. You cannot see Changkyun like this especially when Jooheon is in there with him because the last thing anyone needs is you bursting out on both of them."

"I don't—"

"Changkyun's still going to be here when we come back."

"That wasn't what I was afraid of," he mumbles but complies anyway. He manages to roll his eyes at least two times all while he lets the older drag him to wherever it is he wants to go. But in all honesty, Hyungwon doesn't think that this walk would cool down the hot steam he feels towards Jooheon—not even the slightest bit.

"By _'a walk'_ , you mean coming to get Starbucks?" Hyungwon questions as soon as he sees the big green logo.

"I have a free drink I could redeem," Wonho shrugs, dragging him into the line. "So, hot chocolate?"

"I thought you would know me by now. I live off iced Americano."

"Love, if you think I would allow you to drink caffeine this late at night, you're wrong. And I won't take your excuse of _'you have work to do'_. Do you know how unhealthy that is?"

"Are you suddenly my mother now?" Hyungwon huffs, glaring holes into the Starbucks menu ahead.

"If that's what it takes for me to take care of your wellbeing than sure. So, hot chocolate?"

"Yea, sure. Fine."

Wonho tells Hyungwon to go find them a seat while he pays for their drink. Hyungwon chooses the far corner of the cafe where there are not that many people. Wonho comes minutes later with both their drinks and a really bright smile (to which Hyungwon is still amazed by how little things make the other so happy).

Hyungwon mumbles a small 'thank you' before taking a sip of his hot chocolate. His noticeable cringe when the sweetness hit his tongue send a deep chuckle to elicit from the older's lips.

"Can I ask you something?" Wonho breaks the comfortable silence, gaining the younger's attention.

"Sure."

"Why do you hate Jooheon so much?" He can see the younger's bitter expression resurface at the mere mention of the other's name. He starts chewing at the bottom of his inner lip, a habit Wonho notices the younger does when he is annoyed or angry.

"That's only a problem between him and me," he answers quite simply, quickly trying to dismiss the topic altogether.

"But he seems confused as to why you hate him..." Hyungwon sighs heavily then straightens his back, knowing Wonho won't let it slide so easily.

"He's done something and up until now, he thinks I'm completely clueless about it since _Minhyuk_ still treated him the same after everything," he answers casually, not realizing that he had mentioned the latter male's name so loosely.

"Who's _Minhyuk_...?"

And just like that Hyungwon's eyes widen before he starts choking on the hot chocolate that he swallowed way too fast. He knows he's burnt his throat at this point but really that's the least of his concern. Wonho gets up to comfort the other but Hyungwon just shakes his hand, indicating that he is fine. Wonho offers his iced tea and Hyungwon takes it, sipping two large sips to ease his now irritated throat.

"He's no one," Hyungwon rasp out hoarsely as he wipes the tears with the back of his hand. "He's none of your concern. Do you have any more questions about me and Jooheon?"

"The others don't know the reason as well, do they, besides _Minhyuk_?" Hyungwon shakes his head, indicating 'no'. He has his eyes narrowed at the male in front of him who's aimlessly twiddling with his straw, anticipating what other things he plans to ask.

"If he did something and, I assume it's bad, why wouldn't you tell the rest? Wouldn't you want them to know what he's done?"

"Of course I was going to tell them," Hyungwon starts. "But Minhyuk didn't treat him any differently as I expected him to. If Minhyuk is fine with him then I don't see a reason for the others to know."

"But don't you think it's their call whether they still want to be his friend or not?"

"Minhyuk forgave him—I think—and maybe that's why I didn't want to cause any further wedge in their friendship with him by bringing the matter up."

"And it's fine if you and he have this tension?"

"I have nothing to lose. For me, what he did was unacceptable. If he doesn't know how to respect either of us, why should I? I was willing to give him a chance—for Minhyuk's sake. But after that night I just lost all respect for him."

Wonho just nods as he decides not to question any further. He can clearly see how this topic is sensitive to the younger from the way his face tightens and how he purses his lips every time the older asks a question or how his hands clench every now and then when explaining something.

He knows all too well from the start that there was this (unspoken) tension between the two and maybe questioning about it is going a little too far on Wonho's part, but he was curious and he wanted to get a sense as to why it started in the first place.

In the end, he can only conclude that it all started and ended with the three people-Hyungwon, Jooheon, and _Minhyuk_. And only these three truly know what happened that one night at Hyungwon's house during his New Year's Eve party.

* * *


	47. Chapter 47

* * *

**Wonhoe**

**Kihyun:**  
so i heard what happened to changkyun and jooheon said you're there with hyungwon now?  
i can't imagine anything good coming out of that

 **Wonhoe:**  
it was crazy  
if i didn't intervene i really think hyungwon would've at least broken one of jooheon's bone   
he was _that_ angry

 **Kihyun:**  
not surprised honestly

 **Wonhoe:**  
do you really not know why he hates jooheon that much?

 **Kihyun:**  
nill  
none  
nandos  
i told you we are all as clueless as you

 **Wonhoe:**  
have you never asked?

 **Kihyun:**  
we have  
but we can only question him so many times  
so we just left it be after that

 **Wonhoe:**  
can i ask you something

 **Kihyun:**  
shoot away

 **Wonhoe:**  
who's Minhyuk?  
who was he to hyungwon?

 **Kihyun:**  
how do you know his name?  
did hyungwon tell you that?

 **Wonhoe:**  
he did  
but he quickly dismissed it as well

 **Kihyun:**  
oh

 **Wonhoe:**  
please ki  
i know i should respect his privacy but i think i at least deserve to know  
it shouldn't be a big secret anyway considering how all of you know who he is

 **Kihyun:**  
i can only tell you who he is   
but i can't tell you what happened because it's a really sensitive topic and hyungwon would rather he tells you himself when he's ready  
we don't even talk much about him because of how upset hyungwon gets

 **Wonhoe:**  
okok

 **Kihyun:**  
minhyuk was hyungwon's fiance

 **Wonhoe:**  
wAit he's engaged??

 **Kihyun:**  
he _was_ engaged  
that's the thing  
look  
i know you're burning with more questions after this  
but i really think it's best if he tells you the rest

 **Wonhoe:**  
ok i understand

 **Kihyun:**  
where's hyungwon now

 **Wonhoe:**  
jooheon left so he's inside with changkyun  
nvm they're coming out  
talk to you later ki

 **Kihyun:**  
sure  
tell changkyun to call me once he gets home

 **Wonhoe:**  
is homeboy in some kind of trouble 👀

 **Kihyun:**  
did he start a fight which then led to him breaking his nose?

 **Wonhoe:**  
that's what we heard

 **Kihyun:**  
tell him to call me

 **Wonhoe:**  
👌

* * *

**JOOHONEY**

**Kihyun:**  
hey  
have you reached home?  
 _Delivered✔✔_  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.  
** _Read✔✔_ **  
**

 **JOOHONEY:**  
i just got home

  
 **Kihyun:**  
i need you to help me out here considering you're easier to get through than hyungwon

 **JOOHONEY:**  
sure hyung

 **Kihyun:**  
be honest with me jooheon  
do you remember what happened after hyungwon's new year's party 5 years ago?

 **JOOHONEY:**  
wdym

 **Kihyun:**  
hold up  


this  
do you remember this?

 **JOOHONEY:**  
why are you suddenly bringing this up

 **Kihyun:**  
because clearly we all missed something about that night  
and it's weird how you're not pestering hyungwon to find out why he removed you from the group  
did something happen at the party?

 **JOOHONEY:**  
a lot of things happened at that party  
and i was pretty wasted   
so idk what you want me to say

 **Kihyun:**  
for christ sake jooheon   
be a little helpful  
try to remember at least little  
you were not the only one wasted you know  
i hate seeing this tension between you both

 **JOOHONEY:**  
well hyung i hate to break it to you  
there will always be this tension between us  
and you or anyone else can't do anything about it

 **Kihyun:**  
at least tell me one thing   
was it about Minhyuk?  
was he in any way involved in this?

 **JOOHONEY:**  
everything between me and hyungwon will always involve minhyuk  
it has been that way since uni

 **Kihyun:**  
that means Mihyuk knows what happened  
and yet he still treated you the same after the party...

 **JOOHONEY:**  
a misunderstanding happened, okay hyung?  
minhyuk forgave me and we moved past it  
at least 2 of us did

 **Kihyun:**  
so you do know why hyungwon hates you all these time

 **JOOHONEY:**  
please just drop it  
i don't want to talk about this anymore

* * *

**Chaebugi🐢**

**Chaebugi🐢:**  
this is why i don't want changkyun to drink 🙃  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.  
** _Read✔✔_ **  
**

 **Kihyun:**  
question

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
answer

 **Kihyun:**  
what

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
i tot it was complete the word you know  
like  
hotel? trivago

 **Kihyun:**  
...  
anyways  
i have a serious question

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
this better be important

 **Kihyun:**  
everything i say is important

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
that's questionable   
but go on

 **Kihyun:**  
so i know you won't tell us the reason why you hate jooheon

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
i don't see a reason to like i said

 **Kihyun:**  
was it something really serious

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
i don't understand

 **Kihyun:**  
whatever he did/whatever you think he did, was it something very serious

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
yes  
he disrespected us, minhyuk especially  
i do not appreciate that one bit

 **Kihyun:**  
that's childish wonnie if you really think about it  
i'd expect you to be the better person at least considering Minhyuk forgave him

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
trust me kihyun  
this is me already being considerate  
if you knew you would think twice abt it  
i've only kept it quiet for so long because minhyuk seemed to have forgiven him and i know he doesn't want me to ever bring it up  
i respect his decision for forgiving him but that doesn't mean i agree with it  
no one can convince me otherwise not even minhyuk could

 **Kihyun:**  
you're stubborn😗

 **Chaebugi🐢:**  
for good reasons, yes💁‍♂️

* * *


	48. Chapter 48

* * *

**Minhyukkie💙**

**Hyungwon:**   
baby i'm curious   
have you truly forgiven jooheon since that night  
or were you just acting like everything's fine because he's in our circle?  
i don't know why i never thought to ask you this before  
i guess i didn't want to upset you even more  
but i knew how upset you were knowing i hate jooheon even more because of it...  
can you blame me tho?  
i know he's your best friend, but he crossed the line, minhyuk, and you know this  
if you truly have forgiven him then you really have a big heart because i just can't bring myself to do so  
i love you so much  
i hope you understand  
 _Sent✔_

* * *


	49. Chapter 49

* * *

**KiKi**

**Wonho:**  
i might cry

 **KiKi:**  
wait why  
it's ur birthday   
what's wrong?

 **Wonho:**  
Hyungwon😭

 **KiKi:**  
that piece of cashew nut

* * *

** Ki🐹 **

**Ki🐹:**  
fucker

 **Hyungwon:**  
I love you too

 **Ki🐹:**  
how dare you make hoseok cry you inconsiderate walnut  
don't you know it's his birthday 😤

 **Hyungwon:**  
yoo see kihyun  
there are so many moments in life where i have been confused and i question myself if i was plain dumb  
now i'm questioning if you're actually confused and dumb

 **Ki🐹:**  
you heartless piece of shit💔  
and stop using my full name like that!  
  


* * *

A confused Hyungwon looks up to Wonho who just popped a strawberry glazed in sugar into his mouth, humming in satisfaction. For a moment he catches himself staring—not in some creep-ish way, more like he is admiring his small habits; like how he likes to take small bites when eating or how he would unintentionally smile while chewing his food whenever he looks at Hyungwon or how he even looks like a literal child whenever he takes every new bite of his food.

And Hyungwon admits that he's beginning to adore these little things that make up the man right in front of him. But still, he's afraid to give his whole heart to this soft-spoken man. From the countless moments they've spent together, he knows Wonho will take care of him, much more than he could even imagine and he knows he will be greatly cherished, and really that's what Hyungwon craves for deep inside.

Yet his fears and guilts tend to overshadow all these, making him more closed and reserved than who he truly is.

He is soon brought back to reality when he feels another buzz from his phone. He checks to see that Kihyun had sent him another text, complaining about him.

"What did you snitch to Kihyun?" Hyungwon asks.

"Snitch?" Wonho puts down his dessert and gives the younger a lost look. "Nothing, love. I just told him how happy I am right now!" Wonho exclaims with a huge toothy smile which the older isn't lying at all. Today might just be one of his most memorable if he was being honest.

Hyungwon shoves his phone right at the older's face to show him their recent conversation. "You sure you conveyed the right emotion?" Wonho takes one good read at their conversation then starts laughing. "What did you say, idiot?" he huffs.

Wonho opens his personal chat with Kihyun and shows Hyungwon who instantly gives him a glare.

"Idiot," he mutters with a very apparent eye roll.

"Your idiot," Wonho counters with a flirtatious wink, before continuing to devour the dessert.

* * *

**KiKi**

**Wonho:**  
i tot after all these years you would've gotten used to my dramatic ass  
i'm not actually crying so chill

 **KiKi:**  
i hate you

 **Wonho:**  
it's just hyungwon left work early so he could spend the day with me🥺  
i'm touched😭  
no maybe i'm more than touched😭😭

 **KiKi:**  
he's really treating you well huh

 **Wonho:**  
he's brought me to the gaming arena and now we're chilling at a cafe  
and he said he has more planned for the day?  
i'm excited!

 **KiKi:**  
hahahaha

 **Wonho:**  
now shoo i wanna enjoy the day with my love

 **KiKi:**  
go go enjoy✋

* * *

**Ki🐹**

**Hyungwon:  
  
**

idk to what extent was his exaggeration but i can assure you that he is anything but crying atm  
also he licked the icing off the candles??  
he nasty

 **Ki🐹:**  
please you like nasty😛

 **Hyungwon:**  
😳 ****

* * *


	50. Chapter 50

* * *

**Hoseok (Lee)**

**Hyungwon:**  
hey  
just wanted to know if you've reached home safely

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** someone's worried i see👀

 **Hyungwon:**  
getting back home safely is not a joke🤧

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** ofc not ✋  
you never fail to amaze me every day tho, love

 **Hyungwon:**  
you're talking about chae hyungwon  
i amaze everyone every day💁‍♂️

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** you're right  
i feel so lucky🥰

 **Hyungwon:**  
bow down peasant

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** as you wish your highness 🙇‍♂️

 **Hyungwon:**  
fuck that was supposed to be a joke  
you were supposed to reply it with sarcasm  
you have to stop taking everything i say seriously  
what if i asked you to jump off a cliff?

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** for you it's an honor

 **Hyungwon:**  
okay...   
please don't!

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** then don't ask me to jump off a cliff

 **Hyungwon:**  
why would i ask anyone to??

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** 🤷‍♂️

 **Hyungwon:**  
you're insufferable

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** the best kind of insufferable😉

 **Hyungwon:**  
🤨

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** anyways i'm gonna head to the gym in a few

 **Hyungwon:**  
this late?  
are you okay there?  
i hope tht pole didn't damage your poor brain or something

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** it's only 11 pm 😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
i do not get your point

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** you've spoiled me a little too much today with all the sweet and savory  
not that i'm complaining  
thank you very much :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
you've said thank you one too many times today  
it's your birthday, you deserved it

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** and i'm going to keep saying it because i don't think you realize how special you made my birthday this year

 **Hyungwon:**  
but it's just a simple day out with me...  
i didn't even get you a gift because idk what you would like :(

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** do you think you're a good person hyungwon?

 **Hyungwon:**  
barely

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** i knew it  
and i bet you wonder why i still want to go out with you

 **Hyungwon:**  
what is this, unraveling chae hyungwon's mind?

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** i know people around you tell you that you're arrogant, selfish or even coincided  
but you're a completely different person when we spend time together  
you're a different person when it comes to caring for the people you love  
i've seen it multiple times  
and i will always remind you how happy you make me and the others feel even when you don't see it for yourself  
you also don't realize that these small gestures that you do really do mean a lot and i truly appreciate them

 **Hyungwon:  
** you make me speechless one too many times and i do not appreciate that

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
😉

 **Hyungwon:**  
you're a really good guy too and very patient as well considering you're dealing with me

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** i've been told😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
and i'm glad i could make your day somewhat special today

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** feel free to do so every other day☺  
but you don't have to try so hard my love because your presence already makes half of my day

 **Hyungwon:**  
🧀

 **Hoseok (Lee):  
** anyways love  
i really gotta go  
talk to you soon  
don't stay up too late, okay?  
goodnight❤

 **Hyungwon:**  
goodnight hoseok :)

* * *


	51. Chapter 51

* * *

"Paris."

"The city of love? Cliche much," Wonho says before taking a sip of his hot tea. They both had stopped by the Hangang Bridge that overlooks the Han River after getting a drink at a cafe nearby.

"Maybe." Hyungwon shrugs. "But I heard its really beautiful at night. If I were to visit there someday, I would want to stay up just for the lights at the Eiffel Tower."

"You mean that moment when the light shimmers then dims?"

"Yes, that moment!" he exclaims excitedly. "Have you been to Paris before?"

"Once actually, but it was for a business meeting and I barely had the time to look around," he replies dully. The younger just nods.

"You know, for someone who is so open about love, you seem pretty opposed to the idea of Paris being the city of love."

"I just don't get what's so...romantic about that place," Wonho says. "I mean, is someone's love life suppose to blossom there? Or do you feel extra magical in your love life with your significant other? I just don't get why it's named _the city of love_ when you and your partner can feel just as in love anywhere you go. You don't need 'the city of love' to justify your relationship. I just think it's all nonsense," he opined strongly.

"I think it's a city where one can be intimate with their significant other," Hyungwon counters as he stares out at the calm river with the pretty bridge lights illuminating the water. Wonho croaks an eyebrow at his statement then leans in closer as he beckons for the younger to continue.

"Paris is quite small which means you can go to many places by foot, so I think you enjoy these small intimate moments with your lover as you enjoy the scenery along the way.

"Many people may think intimacy only happens when you two are alone and are in bed together, but I personally think intimacy also includes these small precious moments where you enjoy each other's company. And even when the city before you are bustling, you still manage to tune it all out because all you see is your lover and all you feel is your love for each other.

"Light kisses, small touches, warm cuddles, comforting hugs, moments filled with joy, and laughter—that's intimacy. I guess it's sad sometimes how so many people tend to forget these small things because they seem so insignificant."

Wonho is dumbfounded, speechless basically at how beautifully he portrayed such a simple yet overly used word. How the younger beside him manage to turn one simple word into something so much more meaningful.

And this is one of the many reasons why Wonho adores Hyungwon.

He wouldn't lie that his looks were what attracted him at first, but the longer he spends with Hyungwon, suddenly his looks don't matter to him anymore. Every moment spent together is precious, special, and eye-opening. He likes the challenge that comes with it, he likes the comfort and reassurance he has to give, and with every small ounce of affection reciprocated by the younger to him is truly euphoric.

Wonho takes the younger's free hand and brings it up to his lip, placing a feathery kiss on it. "Have I told you how much you amaze me?"

"Multiple actually," Hyungwon says softly. He can't tell if his cheek is red because of the cold wind blowing or if it just him being flustered.

"Well, that's because you always amaze me, love. You're a gem." And Hyungwon knows his cheeks just got a shade redder.

Wonho thought the moment is perfect—the night itself is perfect. The temperature isn't too cold and the streets behind them weren't all that busy. Their hot beverages are hot enough for them to drink and the lights under the bridge are simply beautiful with the river being as calm as ever.

It is getting late hence Wonho decides to end the night properly. And so he seals this perfect night with a kiss. On the lips.

* * *


	52. Chapter 52

* * *

**Hyungwon 💚**

**Wonho:**  
why did you run off like that  
hyungwon are you okay?  
i'm really worried  
i've been trying to call you for an hour now  
pls call me back...  
 _Read✔✔_  
 ** _._**  
 ** _._**  
 ** _._**

hyungwon i know you're reading this  
pls say something  
 _Read✔✔  
.  
.  
._

it's been 4 days now  
at least let me know ur okay  
 _Read✔✔_  
 ** _._**

**_._ **

**_._ **

* * *

**Hyungwon💚**  
calling...

📞

* * *

**Wonho:**  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**  
you're being really selfish right now  
you don't just leave someone in the dark like this especially when they are so fucking worried about you  
can you at least reply something back?  
that's the least you can do after running away like that  
 _Read✔✔_

* * *

**Minhyukkie💙**

**Hyungwon:**  
i think  
i think i made a big mistake  
i don't think i can do this anymore  
i want everything to stop  
please make it stop  
minhyuk please help me   
i can't breathe  
 _Sent✔_  
  


* * *


	53. Chapter 53

* * *

** Hoseok (Lee) **

**Hoseok (Lee):**  
seriously? you can reply to the others' texts but not mine?  
until when do you plan to ignore me  
hyungwon please...  
did I do something wrong?  
i thought everything was going great  
stop leaving me on **read**

 **Hyungwon:**  
i don't want to see you anymore

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i don't understand  
was it something i did?  
please tell me

 **Hyungwon:**  
this is wrong  
all of this was a mistake to begin with   
i should never have agreed to this in the first place

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
hyungwon don't say that  
don't disrespect our times spent together like that  
if you want to hate me fine but at least tell me what i did wrong  
was it because of the kiss?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i don't need you or anybody else to make me happy  
what makes you think i'll ever be the same again?   
just because you suddenly came into my life doesn't mean i am miraculously okay again  
i never asked for a second chance at happiness

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
you trying to hurt me won't make me hate you so please stop

 **Hyungwon:**  
just leave me alone  
you'll only get hurt the more you try and it's not even your pain to endure

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
fuck hyungwon don't you dare leave me hanging like this  
pick up the fucking phone

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm sorry hoseok

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
HYUNGWON PLEASE  
 _Read✔✔_

Block _Hoseok (Lee)?_

Cancel **|** **Block**

 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**  
FUvK  
 _Sent✔_

* * *


	54. Chapter 54

* * *

Being left in the dark and on top of that getting blocked for reasons unknown, of course, one would be furious, and they would most certainly want to cut any sort of ties with such an inconsiderate person.

That's what sets Wonho apart from most people—he's way too kind and a little too understanding to those he has grown an attachment towards. You could perhaps say that those are the main reasons why he ended up at the doorstep of Hyungwon's house the very next day, or it could be the reason that Wonho believes the Hyungwon a few days ago was someone who was deeply hurting because he knows how kind the younger's true nature is. Although Hyungwon can be rude and blunt he has spent enough time with him to understand that that's only a facade, almost like a protective wall he built for himself. 

But that said, it doesn't mean Wonho cannot hold a grudge or get annoyed. Oh, Wonho was way beyond that. The prominently heavy knocks on the younger's door says it all.

"Chae Hyungwon I know you're in there," Wonho says, a little impatiently. "Open the fucking door!" He came with a goal in mind—to set things straight with him, but he didn't expect much as well knowing the stubborn side of Hyungwon. The most he thinks he'll get out of today's confrontation is probably a talk (or a few snippets of yelling) if he is lucky that is.

Surprisingly, he hears patters of footsteps making their way to the door, and seconds later it slowly opens. He was ready to yell his frustrations out, but all that seemed to be quickly forgotten once his gaze falls upon the depressing state of the other.

Shownu had told him that Hyungwon had been at work these past few days but he barely spoke to anyone and Kihyun had told him that the exchange of messages between them was brief and when he tried calling him, he would simply decline the calls.

Of course, he took all those into consideration, but he didn't expect Hyungwon to look so...horrible. The dark circles under his eyes just seem so much darker than before, both his eyes are puffed up and bloodshot red from crying. His thick lips are chapped and swollen probably from biting them too hard and his cheeks are dusted pink with tear stains still on them.

Hyungwon's lips trembles as he tried to form proper words to say to the older at the doorstep. Hyungwon's grip on the door only seems to weaken as his hands only shake even more. His eyes cloud with tears once more while he sucks in a deep breath, willing himself to hold it in a while more. The younger is so conflicted; a part of him was elated, relieved even that Wonho showed up at his doorstep but the other part replayed the kiss they had the other night, how good it felt yet how quick guilt had consumed the whole of him. Hyungwon is just tired at this point and so he rather not deal with both his conflicting emotions that only seem to want to dominate each other whenever the thought of Wonho (or even Minhyuk) comes to mind. 

"P—Please—go," he begs, more so whimpers tiredly. But Wonho isn't going to leave the younger alone, not after seeing the miserable state he is in.

The older didn't say anything. Instead, he pushes the door to let himself in and closes it behind him. Hyungwon didn't even try to fight him because he knows how weak he is now and the pounds of muscle from the other male clearly say who would win this if he tried.

Wonho pulls the younger into his arms and this sweet warm embrace that engulfs him, giving him the sense of longing and security his heart had been crying for is enough for the younger to let out the sob he was trying to suppress. His cries are loud and heart-breaking that it squeezes Wonho's heart uneasily. He knew from that moment he will never let the man in his arms cry such painful cries again—at least he will never give him a reason to.

But for now, he knows Hyungwon needs this release. He doesn't know how long the younger has it all bottled in by himself. Wonho begins caressing the younger's hair with one hand and draws circles on his back with the other all while whispering sweet nothings into his ears.

▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁

They are now settled on Hyungwon's bed, wrapped warmly in his comforter, legs tangled together while Hyungwon still in Wonho's arms who never stopped comforting him with small affectionate gestures. Both not saying anything, but both grew accustomed to the silence that they didn't mind.

That is until Hyungwon decides to move.

"I'm—sorry—I—" Wonho didn't let him continue as he pulls the younger back into his large arms and this time holds him tight.

"Please don't go," Wonho pleads. "Just tell me what I did wrong. I will fix it. I don't want us to end it in bad terms."

"You d—did nothing wrong," Hyungwon says softly, sniffling as his gaze drops to his lap. "It's all me..." Wonho hooks his finger under his chin and lifts his gaze back to his.

"Tell me then, so I can help you," Wonho tells him gently. Hyungwon's eyes start to well up as the guilt from both the past and the present slowly consume him once again. Wonho notices this and immediately uses his thumb to wipe the yet-to-be fallen tears.

"Was it the kiss? Was it too much for you?" Hyungwon whimpers as another round of hot tears start to fall down his cheeks. "Shh, love," Wonho coaxes when he sees this. He gently places the younger's head in his chest and tries to lull him. 

"Can I tell you something?" the older asks once the younger is only left with sniffles. Hyungwon nods, raising his head to look up at the older.

"I like you."

And Hyungwon's breath hitches visibly at this unexpected confession.

"I really like you and I want to be here for you. If you'd let me, I want to help you. You can try and push me away by saying all these hurtful words to me, but I know you're only doing that to protect yourself. You're only hurting yourself, love, and I hate to see you torture yourself like this."

Hyungwon's mind immediately races. The guilt he feels both towards Minhyuk and Wonho is zoning the younger out even more with his breaths getting more shortened and ragged.

"Hey hey," Wonho calls, bringing the younger back. He starts rubbing his back and telling him to breathe slowly.

"Look at me. Don't think about anything else." And quite possibly the first time Hyungwon's full attention is on the male in front of him. His lips quiver and his hands shake as he tries to hold onto Wonho to steady himself and thankfully Wonho has a firm grip on him, keeping him as steady as possible. 

"Follow my breathing, okay? You're going to be okay," he reassures. "I'm not going to pressure you for an answer, I just wanted to be clear with my feelings for you. All I ask is that you don't push me away especially not when you're hurting this bad. Let me be there for you."

Hyungwon keeps this in mind while all his other emotions are heightened. He doesn't really know what to think about this moment. He doesn't know which feeling to focus on and which he should follow.

Wonho had eventually fallen asleep with Hyungwon in his arms. Hyungwon turns his body so that he'll be facing the other and Wonho's grip automatically tightens around his waist protectively as he pulls him closer to his body, sighing in content. Hyungwon couldn't bring himself to sleep although he is tired himself.

His heart beats slightly faster and he can't tell which is stronger; his affection or his fear.

Being this up close he could mentally sketch each detail of Wonho's face accurately. He gently traces Wonho's features with the tip of his long finger like he's a delicate doll; starting from his forehead to the bridge of his nose then to his thick lips before they rest lightly on his cheek. Wonho scrunches his face a little from the tickling sensation and this causes an small airy chuckle to elicit from the younger.

"I think—I think I might like you too," Hyungwon confesses so quietly, almost like he's admitting it to himself. "I'm so sorry," he whispers before planting a chaste kiss on his forehead. He snuggles closer to Wonho who holds him tight all night. 

* * *


	55. Chapter 55

* * *

A smile unconsciously spread across Wonho's face as soon as he wakes up to the sight of the younger clinging onto him tight whilst still sleeping. Wonho moves away a little to really admire the younger one.

The sunlight from the window beside him falls on his face and this causes Hyungwon to gruff in annoyance before he shifts his head to find a solid pillow. He moves his head closer to the other's chest and when he feels something sturdy under his head, he groans in content as he situates his head on it then snuggles deeper into the chest.

Wonho can't help but smile wider at the other's clingy actions. He knows that waking up to Hyungwon every morning is added to the list of his favourite things about the younger.

He brings his hand to the other's hair and starts gently running his fingers through them. Hyungwon hums sleepily, smiling lightly into the chest.

"Good morning, love" Wonho says, dripping with endearment.

Hyungwon opens his heavy eyes slowly, flutters them momentarily to adjust to the bright light. His first sight is the bright smile of the older, looking down at him and Hyungwon's heart mayhaps leaped a little. He whines before burying his head back into the older's chest where he finds it to be surprisingly comfortable—much more comfortable than his pillows he must say. He can be glad that today is the weekend which means he doesn't have to be up so early.

"Curtains—too bright—mpph—" Hyungwon grumbles halfway against the chest. Wonho snickers at this and leans in closer.

"You're really clingy in the morning." Wonho kisses the top of the younger's head. "I can get used to this."

Hyungwon stiffens when a sudden realization hits him. His eyes shoot wide open and his head immediately looks up at the male who is still smiling down at him. Instinctively, he brings his hand up to touch those soft cheeks and he feels an instant chill down his spine when it dawns to him that Wonho is here, next to him.

"You're still here. You haven't left..." he says, voice thick with disbelief.

Wonho brings his own hand to caress the younger's puffy cheek, feeling the dried stained tears still on them—he knows he had cried while he was sleeping, and he hated that. But he still smiles nonetheless, for him.

"Why would I leave you?"

"I—I'm sorry—" He immediately gets up from Wonho's arms and moves a good distance away from him. "I'm sorry—"

"Hyungwon." He stops him by taking his hand. Hyungwon eyes their touched hands intently. He doesn't let go but he doesn't hold onto it either.

"Stop apologizing."

"You're still here—why?" he presses, utterly confused. After the way Hyungwon had treated him, he still doesn't understand why Wonho would talk to him, hold him, or even comfort him with so much affection. He simply can't wrap his head around it.

"I can leave if you want me too," Wonho says evident with disappointment and the smile now gone. He is about to slip his hand away to leave when Hyungwon suddenly tightens his grip and he feels a light tug. Hyungwon moves closer to the older who stares at him like he's lost. He doesn't know what he's supposed to do honestly. He doesn't know if he should comfort him or just simply talk it out with him.

"I—I don't want you to leave," Hyungwon admits softly, eyes slowly starting to gloss. "Please, I'm scared." Wonho moves closer now, holding onto both of the younger's hands, squeezing them lightly.

"What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of loving someone? Are you afraid of getting hurt again?"

"I can't go back," Hyungwon says with the tears now brimming in his eyes. "Everything was—was so dark until you came—I can't—I'm scared to go back to how things were before—please—"

Wonho hugs the younger who silently starts to breakdown—again. Whatever it is that happened clearly took a huge toll on Hyungwon and this has left him so broken to the point where he can't fully trust every good thing that's happening in his life. He doubts them and immediately pushes them away as a means of self-defense.

"I'm not going anywhere, love," Wonho reassures. "I'm going to be by your side and annoy the fuck out of you." Hyungwon chuckles a little at this and sniffs as he pulls away to look at him. Wonho gives him a small smile as he wipes away the tears.

"Don't leave." Wonho shakes his head then leans in to kiss the younger's forehead then peck his red nose.

"I don't see that being part of my agenda at the moment."

"Do you have plans today?"

"No... Do you have something in mind?"

"I want to bring you somewhere..." Wonho agrees in a heartbeat wherever it is he plans to take him.

▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁

Wonho knows that this place that they are going to means a lot to Hyungwon considering how nervous he was ever since he got ready. Hyungwon would occasionally stare off into space and he even accidentally held onto the piping hot kettle while trying to make coffee for the both of them. It wasn't until Hyungwon miss-matched his shoes that Wonho offered to drive them wherever he wanted to bring them.

Hyungwon's first stop was the florist which wasn't anything unusual—besides the fact that Hyungwon seemed a little too hesitant to buy any flowers considering he was the one that brought Wonho here. When Wonho had asked who he was buying the flowers for, Hyungwon just sighed and mumbled a small _"later"_.

The next location that Hyungwon inputted into the GPS was really what got Wonho questioning. He decided not to ask the younger seeing as to how upset he already is since the florist stop and his mood only seemed to worsen as they get closer to their next destination.

Wonho is the first one to get out of the car once they reach. He walks over to the passenger seat and opens the door for Hyungwon but he just stares up at the sign—a little too long.

"Hyungwon?" he calls, bringing the said male out of his daze. He finally gets out of the car with a fast-beating heart and a lump in his throat. He feels like he could almost throw up right there and then.

Hyungwon almost immediately holds onto Wonho's hand and squeezes them tight for any kind of support or reassurance. He needs something—or someone—strong for him to lean onto. Thankfully, Wonho holds onto his hand tight.

"Tell me—Tell me it's going to be okay," he croaks, sounding like he's on the verge of crying.

"Everything's going to be okay," he comforts, caressing the back of his hand with his thumb. "You will get through this and I'll be right here."

Hyungwon takes one more large breath before he guides the older pass the high gates. Walking along the tombstones with this silence settles uneasily on both their chests, but neither knows what to say to the other. Only curiosity is left burning in Wonho's head as to why Hyungwon had brought him _here_.

Hyungwon finally stops about a good meter away from the large gates and his grip only hardens on the older's hand when he stops at one specific headstone.

Wonho hears a couple of heavy sniffles eliciting from the younger beside him, but he can't seem to bring his attention away from the matter before him. The first thing that caught his eyes is the name; he sees the name he's heard off before, the name he's asked about before—the same name engraved in silver on the black marble headstone before them.

_Lee Minhyuk._

* * *


	56. Chapter 56

* * *

They both sat right in front of the headstone keeping a good distance between them; Hyungwon didn't initiate any sort of indication that he wanted comfort and Wonho doesn't even know if the younger wants his comfort as of now, but he is on alert to go to the younger when he needs him. His eyes can't help but scheme over again on the name, the dates, and the words. He wonders what had happened to him.

"I brought you here today because—because I think it's only fair you know _this_ part of my life, the part that's completely shattered..." Hyungwon sighs heavily, still staring at the headstone ahead. He can only bring himself to scan over the familiar name; a double syllable he used to love uttering at any given moment, that at any time just from the simple mention of that name could instantaneously bring a smile to his face. Yet now only salty tears would be accompanied when these mere two syllables are elicited.

And Hyungwon for the longest moment can never bring himself to look at the small picture of the male he still loves displayed there.

"We met in Uni," Hyungwon starts. "We got to know each other because Kihyun became friends with Jooheon who was already close friends with Minhyuk..." He pauses for a moment and takes a deep breath. It has been a hot while since he told this story and it will not get easier as he continues. Yet he knows he has too, not being he's obliged to but because he knows Wonho deserves to know this part of the truth. 

"We all started hanging out and well one thing led to another and we eventually got together in our second year in uni." He smiles sadly, remembering that very day he had asked Minhyuk out for the first time and God was he a mess doing so. For someone who never liked the attention or even the thought of embarrassing oneself to get someone else's attention, Hyungwon had done all that just to get Minhyuk's attention. He also remembers all the stupid things he had done to impress the other when in reality Minhyuk was already long infatuated with Hyungwon.

"My life—it wasn't all that easy especially when you have parents who are strict and demanding. It was all black and white for the most part until I met Minhyuk. He—He was truly amazing, a literal angel—always so caring and understanding and he rarely got mad at me despite my shitty attitude...

"I proposed to him on his birthday after being together for 3 years. I knew I loved him, and I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him because I couldn't imagine a better life without him.

"It was perfect...everything—Months leading up to it, it was— it was just perfect..." Hyungwon falls silent when the memories of the dark days slowly start to cloud his mind, wrapping away all the bright memories and discarding them far away. The tears soon start to burn his eyes. He turns to face the older who instantly turns to look at him as well.

"I guess that's the problem; It was too perfect for my life. I was _too_ happy..." he mutters as a tear finally leaves his eye, trailing down his cheek. Wonho places a hand on Hyungwon's arm and squeezes it a little, patiently telling him that he's listening and to take it at his own pace. 

"Minhyuk was so excited. He did all the planning, the decoration but he made sure to include me in the cake tasting because he knows how fussy I get—" He lets out a teary chuckle at the memory of them walking into the bakery for the cake tasting. They had decided on five flavors for five different tiers because as Hyungwon said _'why not'_ to which Minhyuk squealed and straight-out hugged him whilst repeating _'I love you'_ right in front of the bakery owner.

"—But 3 months before our wedding—"

Hyungwon chokes on his sob as that very fateful day replayed in his head. Every single word, every excruciating moment embedded into his head. The agonizing moment he waited. The phone calls he made. The worried texts he had sent. The rush to the hospital and the final heart-breaking decision he had to make. All those moments leading to where he is now. Miserable. And sad.

How was Chae Hyungwon supposed to know when he had proposed to Lee Minhyuk all those months before that he wouldn't even get a glimpse of his groom in the teal-suit he very much wanted to wear standing down that blue-themed aisle with a huge smile plastered on his face? He could envision probably a few strays of happy tears streaming down the other's face because who was he kidding, he knew he would be crying as well once he joined hands with his love right down that aisle.

Instead today, those tears are anything but happy. They're mournful, filled with pain, and a sense of longing.

Hyungwon couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence when he lets out a horrid sob. Wonho immediately wraps his arms around the younger who doesn't hesitate to lean in more for much-needed support.

"Where was he when he promised to stand at the end of the aisle? Where was he when I finally got my promotion? Where was he when I'm all alone! He promised—He promised me—"

Hyungwon clings onto him harder as his cries only get more loud and painful. He didn't stop when his throat hurts or when his fists trembles. He only stops when his body tired out and he's left whimpering and occasionally hiccupping in the older's arms.

Hyungwon always made a reason to not visit this place and this is the exact reason why. He knew he wouldn't be able to leave here without at least having a full-blown emotional breakdown. But he also knows he can only run for so long.

"You don't have to tell me any more," Wonho whispers into the other's ear whilst stroking through his hair to calm him down. "I'm so sorry," he says evident with sadness as his own heart goes out to him. He really can't do much now than to just be there for him.

How was one supposed to comfort another who lost someone truly dear to them? No words can ever do them any justice and no length of sentences can fully bring solace to the grieving soul. Perhaps the least they can do is offer comfort.

So, they stayed in that position; Wonho gently rocking the both of them while Hyungwon stares blankly at the small picture of Minhyuk in front of them with the constant tears running down his face. He had no more energy to scream or to cry out loud. He physically doesn't think he can stand for himself without his legs giving out and he falls. And so they stayed that way until Hyungwon mumbles to Wonho that he wants to go. Neither of them looking back when they leave. And neither of them speak during the ride home.

* * *


	57. Chapter 57

* * *

**KiKi**

**Wonho:**  
so  
i heard about minhyuk today  
not the full story but i got a gist of what happened and I'm really so sorry for your lose  
not only you and hyungwon but for all of you

 **KiKi:**  
i assume hyungwon took you to see him?

 **Wonho:**  
he did  
he must've been a really wonderful person

 **KiKi:**  
he really was...  
you know me and my persistent-nature  
Minhyuk liked to tease me or purposely get on my nerves for the fun of it  
and although we do banter quite a lot those were the moments i missed the most you know?  
like there would be moments where i would wonder how would Minhyuk react to me doing a certain thing or sometimes i just knew from the top of my head what he would say if he still was here

 **Wonho:**  
i'm sorry...

 **KiKi:**  
we all miss him deeply but there's nothing we can do about it  
hyungwon took it especially harder than the rest of us  
how's he doing anyway?

 **Wonho:**  
not the greatest  
i brought him back to my place and he was a mess  
he's sleeping now thankfully  
i've never seen him or anyone cry this much before  
it's so fucking heartbreaking ki

 **KiKi:  
** i know...  
listen if he doesn't respond much after he wakes up don't be too alarmed  
it's normal for him to shut us out like that  
just let him know that you are there for him  
he'll be back in a few hours the least

 **Wonho:**  
okay  
thanks ki

* * *

While waiting for the younger to wake up, Wonho decides to prepare dinner for the both of them. He doesn't know if Hyungwon would even have the appetite to eat anything but it was worth the try. So he starts preparing marinated beef with japchae and kimchi pancake—it wasn't much considering he hasn't gone grocery shopping in a while (to which he had made a mental note of several times).

In the middle of making the kimchi pancake, Wonho hears light shuffling of feet making their way down the hall and into the kitchen. His head instinctively turns and he sees the still sleepy state of the younger looking at him with half-opened eyes. His hair disheveled and a pout very much visible on his lips as he tries to rub the sleep off his eyes.

"Hey, love," Wonho calls with such endearment.

Hyungwon's focus is solely on the older male and not on the tantalizing food just before him, if anything he feels sick to his stomach just of the thought of eating. His appetite is long gone and he wants now is just to lay down (with Wonho) and just stay there for as long as he can. Hyungwon doesn't say anything when he makes his way closer to the older. He slowly wraps his lanky arms around the toned-waist of the older then lightly buries his head into his back. Wonho turns the stove off before turning in the younger's arms. Hyungwon almost immediately tightens his grip when Wonho is already facing him.

"Is there something you need, love?" Wonho asks gently as he caresses Hyungwon's hair. The said male rubs his cheek comfortably on the older's hoodie before sighing in content. He loves how comfortable and _soft_ the older feels as of now, he thinks it's easier for him to fall asleep once again if Wonho is beside him.

"Hoseok," he mumbles groggily. Wonho elicits an airy chuckle at his clingy behavior.

"I'm right here, love. I've prepared dinner. Do you wanna eat?" Hyungwon shakes his head and pulls Wonho impossibly closer to his body. "Is there something you wanna do? Anywhere you wanna go?"

"Stay with me," Hyungwon mutters. It is just a simple sentence and if they were in any other situation Wonho would've thought that this was sweet but the fact that he can hear the actual fear evident in his voice breaks his heart. He didn't realize how much Minhyuk's passing has affected Hyungwon until he slowly starts piecing every event that has happened together. Although he did have his suspicions that Hyungwon acted a certain way towards him because of past bad experiences, it all makes sense now.

Its almost like if you just take a moment and disregard the bigger picture that is being displayed—the facade Hyungwon wears where he usually masks them with selfishness, arrogance, and just plain ignorance—you see someone who is quiet and silently hurting. He wants affection but he's too scared to ask. He wants love but he's too afraid to put himself out there and look for it again because the last time he forced himself out there hurt him beyond what he thought was possible.

Hyungwon is just so scared at this point and Wonho understands—to a certain degree he understands the pain Hyungwon is going through.

"Of course I will," Wonho tells him sincerely as he gently rubs circles on the younger's lower back, comforting him. He leans over and plants butterfly kisses along the younger's ear starting from the tip all the way to the lobe before he places a lingering one on his forehead.

"Why don't you go wait for me at the couch, yea? I'll keep the food." Hyungwon moves his head back a little to look at the older male with a disapproving pout. "It'll only take a minute."

"Too—long," he whines.

"I'll be as quick as I can, my love." Hyungwon thinks for a short second before hesitantly letting go. Wonho smiles as he plants a tender kiss on the younger's nose before he drags his feet to the living room area and plops himself amongst the many cushions.

Wonho—as promised—keeps all the food he made as fast as he could so that he can join the younger at the couch. Once he is done he quickly makes his way to the living room area to see Hyungwon just staring at his plain white wall. He can't tell if he is in some kind of deep thought or if he is simply _just_ staring at nothing but seeing Hyungwon in this state without much response to go by really causes this sinking feeling in Wonho's heart.

Although Kihyun had mentioned to not worry too much, Wonho can't help but worry.

When Hyungwon feels another presence close to him he slowly turns his head to the side and almost immediately stretches his arms forward, making grabby hands towards the older. That was enough to snap Wonho out of his worrying thoughts and have his full attention back to the younger who starts whining for warmth.

Wonho offers a small smile before wrapping himself with the other and they both stayed that way with Wonho muttering a few words here and there making small conversations and Hyungwon answering with a small nod or a hum. It's not much response but it's enough because he knows Hyungwon is trying and that is all that matters. 

* * *


	58. Chapter 58

* * *

Hyungwon presses the intercom by his desk and sighs before asking, "Yes, Mr. Yoon?"

"There's someone here to see you, Mr. Chae," his secretary relays over the line which causes his eyebrows to knit in confusion. He makes a double-take by his open agenda just near the intercom and sees that he's clear for the rest of the day. 

"I thought I was done for today?"

"He said it's important—a mister _Lee Hoseok_?" Hyungwon immediately sits up straight at his desk that he bumps his knee against the desk, muttering a quiet _'fuck'_. "Sir, are you okay?"

"Yea," Hyungwon mutters loud enough for him to hear as he rubs his knee. "Let him in."

Hyungwon instantly takes his phone and looks through his reflection and sighs another time. He looks like a mess and completely worn out—but what's new really? The best he could do is comb his hair with his fingers before the door to his office opens, revealing the man that never fails to brighten up his day. His heart mayhaps started beating a tad bit faster upon setting his gaze on the older but Hyungwon tries to be the professional—keyword: _tries._

"This is a surprise," Hyungwon says keeping a straight tone but he couldn't hide the smile on his face.

"Judging by that smile I assume you like the surprise."

Something in Hyungwon jolts him out of his seat and he runs to the older who instinctively opens his arms to welcome him. This did take Wonho by surprise, but it is the good kind; the kind that makes his heart flutter and his cheeks hurt from too wide of a smile. Hyungwon hugs him tight and Wonho chuckles happily.

"I didn't think you would miss me that much since we saw each other two days ago," Wonho teases.

"Oh shut up," Hyungwon tuts jokingly as he pulls away in arms' length. Wonho leans forward and places a kiss on the younger's forehead just between his brows..

"How are you?" he asks.

"I got back from a meeting 30 minutes ago so I'm pretty beat," Hyungwon answers truthfully. Wonho brings his thumb over the younger's cheek and caresses them as he admires his distinctive features. He can also see how tired he is and he wishes he could do something to help.

Hyungwon guides him across the room to his desk. He beckons Wonho to sit on the chair just opposite of his but the older has other plans. He drags the younger to _his_ sit, sits on it before he pulls Hyungwon to settle on his lap.

"Ho—" He stops when he feels the said male nuzzling his face on his back, slowly rubbing his nose up and down his spine which sends a noticeable shiver down his body. He decides to ignore this sensation and turn around a little to face the older.

"Really?"

"This is much more comfortable if you ask me." The younger sighs and turns back around to continue his work.

"How about you? I hope work wasn't too exhausting," Hyungwon says.

"My day was okay," Wonho replies as he wraps his arms around the smaller waist, securing him comfortably. "Just my boss can be such a nutcase, changing plans last minute and making us run like lab rats. Dickhead."

"Aw, my poor _baby_ ," Hyungwon cooes endearingly. And that too accidentally. It took both the males a good second to really register what had just been said by the younger before they both stare at each other for a hot minute. Hyungwon can already feel his cheeks flaring the longer he keeps his gaze settled on the older male.

"I—Umm—You see—" Wonho elicits a hearty chuckle and squeezes his waist a little more.

"You're fucking adorable," Wonho exclaims as he kisses his cheek once more. "Don't be so flustered, love." Hyungwon groans and turns away to mildly glare at his paperwork scattered around his table knowing that his cheeks are bright red as of this moment with the tip of his ears hot.

"Are you done for today?" Hyungwon impassively asks. Wonho hums, indicating a _'yes'._ "Lucky you."

"Don't worry my love, I plan to accompany you and once you're done we can go for dinner. How does that sound?"

"I'd like that. Also, you can chill on the couch while you wait."

"I like this better," he claims.

"Do you want anything, a snack or maybe coffee perhaps? I can ask Mr. Yoon to bring you some refreshments from the pantry."

Wonho reassures the younger that he is fine and so Hyungwon continues with his work. For the most part, he forgot about the presence of the older when he's too emersed until Wonho would occasionally run his fingers softly along his arms or lightly play with his hair and then he would remember that he is, in fact, sitting on his lap.

Hyungwon finishes his work a little around nine (and that too because Wonho reminds him not to push himself too much) and then they both set out to grab dinner. They impulsively decided to go to Seoullo 7017, a night garden in Seoul where they can spend some peaceful time together. With interlocked hands, they walk through the garden slowly, admiring the colorful flowers and twinkling lights along the way. They both stop at the balcony of the building and simply take in the view from where they are.

"I want to get some tulips for my house," Hyungwon says randomly. He had gotten the idea after seeing the flowers and decided he wanted his house to be filled with pretty flowers as such.

Wonho quirks an eyebrow. "Love, you can barely take care of yourself. Pity those flowers." Hyungwon smacks the older's arm as the other snickers.

"You're saying I am incapable of taking care of plants?" he huffs.

"I'm suggesting that you will do a much better job with cactuses, you know start small." Hyungwon narrows his eyes at him and Wonho can't help but bring the younger male into his arms as he laughs at his adorable expression. "You're so precious."

In arm's length, they stare at each other with passing moments and without any exchange of words, the silence itself is more than comfortable for both of them.

Hyungwon then notices the tender touch of Wonho's hand on his hot cheek and how his thumb would distinctively brush over his bottom lip. He waits and waits for the second he would lean in, slowly close the gaps between them and fit his lips right onto his.

But it never happens and he wonders if he is hesitating after the previous incident.

"You—You can kiss me if you want..." Hyungwon voices meekly. "I won't—react like before." Wonho gives him a soft smile. His eyes nothing but sheer understanding.

"But is that what you really want?" he asks gently, the smile never faltering, gaze never dropping. 

"I wouldn't mind _?_ "

Wonho leans in, closing in the distance between them but kisses Hyungwon's cheek instead then pecking the tip of his cold nose.

"It's okay, love," he says. "I realized that I should've been a little more patient with myself especially now that I know you're _still_ hurting. I understand now why you can't give me your full heart, but I hope someday that will change. I know I've told you that I'll wait for you, but sometimes my greed overshadows what I say and for that I truly am sorry."

"No, no Hoseok—that's—that's hardly fair for you."

"To an outsider's point of view, maybe. But to me its better than nothing. You're opening yourself to me more and more each day. It was stupid of me to want some kind of validation for our relationship since I saw how you were slowly warming up to me. My greed wanted to justify your affection so I thought kissing you would do just that, but I was wrong."

"The way I reacted was really uncalled for though..."

"But it was for a good reason. I don't blame you, Hyungwon. We're okay. Whatever we have, whatever pace we're taking it, I don't mind it so, please don't feel like you have to push yourself to prove anything."

For the first time, Hyungwon leans in to press a lingering kiss on Wonho's forehead just above his left temple. He gets a whiff of his cologne and he loves how it makes him feel intoxicated, somehow he also feels alive with this surge of heat. It calms his raging emotions and it keeps him grounded.

"I promise," he whispers in close proximity. "I promise I won't push myself."  
  


* * *


	59. Chapter 59

* * *

**Beer Pressure**

**Jooheon:**  
changkyun is such a precious soul

 **Ki🐹:**  
that's a pretty random statement  
but i wouldn't disagree

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
hyung😭

 **Jooheon:**  
this goofball surprised me at work with food

  
**Nunu🐻:**  
you guys are adorable

 **Hyungwon:**  
wtf

 **Ki🐹:**  
aww changkyunnie that's so sweet of you

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
it was nothing hyung😊

 **Hyungwon:**  
are you still there changkyun?

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
yeap  
i'm walking back to jooheon hyung's room

 **Hyungwon:**  
why are you still there

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
i wanted to accompany jooheon hyung...

 **Jooheon:**  
fucking chill hyungwon

 **Hyungwon:**  
don't tell me to fucking chill  
i will not be chill knowing changkyun is with you

 **Jooheon:**  
then by all means why don't you come and pick him up then

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
wait what  
hyung no i wanna stay!  
hyungwon hyung please

 **Ki🐹:**  
hyungwon seriously changkyun is perfectly fine with jooheon  
why are you worrying so much?

 **Hyungwon:**  
because it's lee jooheon

* * *

**I.M. Kyun🐺**

**I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
hyung please  
jooheon hyung said he was going to show me some music arrangements he did  
and he's also going to teach me a little about composing  
please hyung

 **Hyungwon:**  
you know i hate it when you spend time with him  
especially alone time

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
but i'm alright hyung  
every other time i spent with him i've always been okay

 **Hyungwon:**  
explain your broken nose then

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
that was solely my fault hyung  
please jooheon hyung is a really nice guy  
he wouldn't try to hurt me in any way

 **Hyungwon:**  
why can't you understand that i just want you to be safe

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
but why wouldn't i be safe with him?  
he's our friend

 **Hyungwon:**  
no he's your friend, not mine

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
hyung :(

 **Hyungwon:**  
who am i to stop you anyways  
i'm sorry changkyun

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
no hyung please  
it just upsets me that you and jooheon can't get along with each other

 **Hyungwon:**  
don't dwell on it too much because we will never get along  
i just have one question, you wouldn't lie to me, right?

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
ofc not hyung you know i wouldn't  
unless it involves some kind of surprise i would never lie to you

 **Hyungwon:**  
are you and jooheon a thing?

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
wait what

 **Hyungwon:**  
^

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
hyung...

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm serious changkyun  
is there something going on with the both of you?  
 _Read✔✔_  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
jooheon and i are not a thing...

* * *

**Hoseok (Lee)**

**Hyungwon:**  
hoseok...

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i'm here, love  
how are you

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm okay  
and you?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i'm doing alright as well  
is everything okay?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i might be paranoid

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
whatever about?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm sure you've seen the group  
i just  
you understand right why i don't like changkyun spending time with jooheon

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
not the full thing  
but i trust you enough to know that you wouldn't simply hate on someone unless it was for a good reason   
and i'm sure you have your valid reasons to not want changkyun to spend his time with jooheon

 **Hyungwon:**  
i think changkyun's lying to me

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
what makes you say that?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i asked him if he and jooheon are a thing  
it's just a hunch but i think he's lying

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i guess it would make sense if he did lie to you especially if it's about jooheon  
but don't jump into conclusion so fast, love  
maybe he really likes spending time with him

 **Hyungwon:**  
but i'm so fucking worried

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i'm sure you have good reasons to be  
but you should also try to understand that we are all way older than changkyun and jooheon happens to be someone who has the least age gap with him so he could likely relate to him more  
i know you're worried but i'm pretty sure he knows how to defend himself in situations he doesn't want to be in

 **Hyungwon:**  
what if he likes the situation he's in

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
would you hate changkyun if he and jooheon really are a thing?

 **Hyungwon:**  
no...

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
do you think he knows that

 **Hyungwon:**  
idk...

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i know you want to protect him from all the bad in the world but realistically you can't always be there for him  
the best you can do now is just try to look out for him because i know he'll come running to you if anything were to happen  
if he and jooheon really are a thing then it's better for the three of you to talk it all out to prevent future conflict

 **Hyungwon:**  
i don't even want to think of that possibility

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
it's fine if you don't want to but don't completely ignore it because you know there is a possibility

 **Hyungwon:**  
okay...  
thank you hoseok :)

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
anytime my love❤

* * *


	60. Chapter 60

* * *

**Hoseok (Lee)**

**Hoseok (Lee):**  
my niece got a puppy today and she's taunting me with pictures  
now i want a puppy too :(

 **Hyungwon:**  
sweetheart its 3 am why are you still awake?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
wAit  
sweetheart??  
baby, hyungwon, did you just call me sweetheart?  
please don't tell me its cuz you're barely awake and you have no idea what you're typing😭

 **Hyungwon:**  
baby, hoseok, i don't text when i'm half awake

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
you called me baby too  
i don't want a puppy anymore   
can i have you instead😭

 **Hyungwon:**  
but i tot you already have me?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
shit hyungwon you can't just drop all these bombs at me in one night   
my heart can only take so much and i don't have enough money to get a new heart right now

 **Hyungwon:**  
sorry...?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
fuck baby i just wanna cuddle up with you right now

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok sweetheart, you should really go to sleep  
why are you even awake at this hour

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
does that mean i can't drive over to your house right now😢

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok...

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
it is afternoon in San Francisco right now   
that's where my niece lives and she just sent me pics of her new pup

 **Hyungwon:**  
well   
why don't you go to a pet shop and get one?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
let's adopt one and take care of it together :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
you literally told me i couldn't take care of plants what makes you think a pup would be any different

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
the difference is i would willingly pick up your slack if you forget to take care of the pup

 **Hyungwon:**  
i love how much faith you have in me :')

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
so what do you say😊

 **Hyungwon:**  
wait are you suggesting that i move in with you?

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
subtly 😗

 **Hyungwon:**  
🤨

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
😇

 **Hyungwon:**  
no pets  
at least not now

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
okay that plan shall be on hold at the moment  
how about me driving over now🥺

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok its really late  
i don't want you to be driving this late it's dangerous

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
but i'm willingly offering free cuddles and warmth  
plus its only a 10 min drive anyways

 **Hyungwon:**  
yea when speeding🙄

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
i promise i'll be safe  
so see you in 10 mins or less?

 **Hyungwon:**  
fuck hoseok please don't rush   
i'll be waiting no matter what time you arrive okay  
just drive safe  
please

 **Hoseok (Lee):**  
don't worry love

* * *

Even if Hyungwon wanted to close his eyes for a moment while he waits for the older, his fear wouldn't let him. He can't have the same peace of mind knowing Wonho would arrive at any moment but he doesn't know how _fast_ he'll be driving.

Hyungwon knows he can't text him to check on him because he doesn't want him to be texting while driving. And although 10 minutes isn't all that long, it felt like an eternity for the younger who keeps staring at his phone while being much more attentive to every passing car.

When he hears a car engine coming to a stop just outside his house Hyungwon immediately jumps out of the sofa and swings his door wide open. He utters a silent thankful prayer when he sees Wonho getting out of his car with his gym bag sling over one arm.

Hyungwon didn't wait for him to walk up to his driveway. Instead, he runs to the older and instantly hugs him, sighing heavily in sheer relief. Wonho elicits a low snicker and hugs him back, running his arms up and down the younger's back to warm him up.

"I told you I will be safe."

Hyungwon doesn't answer as he tries to calm himself down by hugging Wonho tighter and inhaling the familiar woodsy scent that comforts him. It eases his fast-beating heart that beat with so much anxiety just moments before.

"Love, are you okay?" Wonho finally asks full with the brim of concern when Hyungwon didn't utter a single word. Hyungwon sighs another time and looks at him. Wonho sees it—his relief which makes him frown a little.

_Why would he be so worried?_

"Let's—Let's go in," Hyungwon says softly.

Wonho nods, not before he kisses the top of the younger's forehead. He feels like he needs to give Hyungwon this small reassurance that he is alright. Wonho decides not to ask and just silently follow him inside.

They both settle in Hyungwon's bed not too long after, wrapped comfortably in the thick comforter and enjoying the heat from each other's gentle touches; Wonho would occasionally brush against Hyungwon's face while Hyungwon would sometimes find himself nuzzling his nose and cheek against the older's bare chest.

"Love, remember when you called me _sweetheart_ earlier," Wonho teases the male sleeping on him.

"I don't recall such memory," Hyungwon murmurs against the skin as he snuggles up closer to the warm body. "Also, do you purposely sleep half-naked?"

"What do you mean?"

Hyungwon knows he's been blushing red from the moment Wonho climbed onto his bed with only his shorts on and Hyungwon only ever had the courage to snuggle into the older when Wonho wordlessly pulled the younger closer to cuddle him.

"Nothing," he shyly mutters. "Goodnight, Hoseok."

"Sleep well, my love."

Just the reassurance Hyungwon has that he is able to hold Wonho comforts him to fall into a deep slumber because he knows he can't slip away—at least not in this moment with him. And perhaps for the first time in a while, he will have a good sleep in the older's arms.  
  
  


* * *


	61. Chapter 61

* * *

**_Hoseok (Lee)_ **

" _Hoseok_ — _Lee_?" Wonho questions, unamused. Hyungwon hums before looking over at the older who has his phone. He sees Wonho's contact details displayed on it. 

Both were settled comfortably on Kihyun's couch; with Hyungwon in Wonho's arms while he watches some show on TV. Wonho aimlessly scrolls through Hyungwon's contacts for no apparent reason after browsing through the zero games the younger has on his phone.

"Why does my name sound _so_ official in your contact?" Hoseok pouts.

"I happened to know another Hoseok actually and I didn't want to get the both of you mixed up," Hyungwon reasons. "He's a _Jung_ though—a very spritely person."

"So this _Jung Hoseok_ you speak of, have you known him long?" Wonho asks, evident with a hint of jealousy.

"Oh yes!" the younger exclaims obliviously with a huge smile which seems to only deepen the older's frown and jealousy. "We go way back. He's from Gwangju just like me." Wonho snorts when he scrolls the contact list a little more and sees _**Hoseok (Jung)**_ _._

"So which Hoseok do you prefer then?" he mindlessly asks, mildly glaring at the small picture the younger took the effort to put. He didn't even have a picture of his own in his contact! Hyungwon senses the envy from the older behind him and can't help but smirk slightly. He didn't think the older has it in him to be jealous.

"Well if I have to choose," Hyungwon pretends for a moment. Wonho huffs another time. Without warning, Hyungwon wraps his lanky arms around Wonho's torso and hugs him tight, nuzzling his nose into his chest.

"I think Lee Hoseok is somewhat close to my liking," he answers playfully just to rile him up a little more.

"You think," he mutters with an eye roll.

"You're not actually jealous, are you?"

"Geez Hyungwon, I don't know. You seem to really like this other Hoseok guy a little more. He, may I quote, _'is a very spritely person'_."

"You're adorable when you're jealous!" Hyungwon says as he pinches Wonho's cheek. The older male sarcastically mimics the younger's every word but this only causes Hyungwon to laugh harder. He can't help but kiss his cheek which made Wonho stop what he was doing altogether to really look at the male in his arms.

"Just so you know, you're the only Hoseok who I've ever given a kiss on the cheek to," Hyungwon simply tells him.

"It better fucking stay that way," Wonho grunts. "We need to change this."

"Change what exactly?"

"My name—in your contacts. It's too..."

"Boring?" he offers.

"—Formal."

"Fine do whatever you want," he says as he continues to flip through the channels.

"Include deleting this Jung Hoseok's contact?" Wonho suggests.

"I thought I made it clear that I preferred _Lee_ Hoseok?" Hyungwon questions with a quirked eyebrow. "You don't have to be jealous anyways, he already has a girlfriend so don't worry." Wonho mutters a 'fine' before going to change his contact name.

**Baby**

Hyungwon takes a peek and instantly says no.

"But why!" Wonho whines too which the other answers with another firm _no_.

**Sweetheart**

"Really?" Hyungwon now glares at him. 

"What? You called me that before."

"As I said, no recollection of such memory."

"I have the screenshot as proof."

"Something else, please."

Wonho thought for a little more before proudly typing in another suggestive name.

**Bunny**

"Are you serious? Why a bunny?"

"I've been told that I look like one," Wonho beams. Hyungwon observes his smiley face and with the close proximity he can't help but smile as well, it's like the older's smile is contagious and he'll admit that Wonho has one of the most beautiful smiles. 

"They're not wrong. Okay then." Wonho beams even more as he adds one final detail.

**Bunny♥️**

"A heart, really?" 

Wonho just kisses Hyungwon's cheek as a response. He then brings his lips to the younger's nose and places another kiss there.

"The heart makes it all adorable," Wonho tells him ever so softly that Hyungwon playfully hit his arms.

"I'm confused," Kihyun interrupts their moment from the couch nearby, his existence being completely forgotten by the other two males even though they are in his house. 

"What are you guys?"

Wonho and Hyungwon instinctively look at each other with a soft smile. They didn't feel the need to establish what they are right now as both are pretty much content with what they have at this moment. 

"He's my half-boyfriend?" Wonho suggests as he gently rubs his forehead against Hyungwon's.

"That's a thing?" he snickers at the couple.

"Oh, fuck off Kihyun," Hyungwon grumbles as he tosses the nearest pillow at the said male. Hyungwon then snuggles close to Wonho who keeps him warm in his arms. Maybe sometime in the near future, they could be something more, but for now, this is enough.

* * *


	62. Chapter 62

* * *

**Bunny♥**

**Bunny♥:**

**Hyungwon:**  
sometimes i feel like you have an ulterior motive whenever you send me a selfie  
you're not as innocent as you seem

 **Bunny♥:**  
 **😲**  
love  
the accusation  
how dare you  
my heart   
hurts

 **Hyungwon**  
is this your plot to make me come over?

 **Bunny♥ :**  
maybe😗  
is it working

 **Hyungwon:**  
see not that innocent  
i hate you

 **Bunny♥ :**  
my door is always open as well as my arms :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
not tonight   
as tempting as that sounds i have quite a bit of things to do  
and i know i wont get them done in your arms  
thanks for the offer tho

 **Bunny♥ :**  
that's a bold assumption my love  
you know this issue could be solved easily another way

 **Hyungwon:**  
i am not moving in with you

 **Bunny♥ :**  
i tried 💔  
but love, did you know a bunny can die from loneliness

 **Hyungwon:**  
a bunny what😭  
i have no words

 **Bunny♥ :**  
just stating a simple fact

 **Hyungwon:**  
maybe someday i wouldn't mind moving in  
i love me some good ramen ;p

 **Bunny♥ :**  
what about the owner of the house **😢**

 **Hyungwon:**  
the owner's not too bad i mean he gives pretty decent cuddles

 **Bunny♥ :**  
lucky for you bunnies love to cuddle as well

 **Hyungwon :**  
its settled then  
i'll be moving in to nurture a lonely bunny :)

 **Bunny♥ :**  
sounds like a decent plan that we can work with👌  
anyway my love  
i was thinking

 **Hyungwon:**  
you were thinking

 **Bunny♥ :**  
breakfast tomorrow  
before i drop you off at work😉

 **Hyungwon:**  
that depends  
if we were to have breakfast you would have to pick me up early  
which also means that i have to wake up earlier than usual  
so what time are we talking about?

 **Bunny♥ :**  
i'll be heading to the gym at about 5.30

 **Hyungwon:**  
A.M???

 **Bunny♥ :**  
yes😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
you wild bro🙃

 **Bunny♥ :**  
did you just bro-zoned me😑

 **Hyungwon:**  
you can view it as a term of endearment   
but besides the point  
why so fucking early??

 **Bunny♥ :**  
there's little to no ppl there at that time

 **Hyungwon:**  
yes because normal ppl would be sleeping not trying to rip it

 **Bunny♥ :**  
i'm all kinds of wonder, love

 **Hyungwon:**  
you really are  
whatever am i to do with you🤦‍♂️

 **Bunny♥ :**  
don't worry love  
i plan to head over there around 7  
would that be sufficient time?

 **Hyungwon:**  
that shud be alright

 **Bunny♥ :**  
see you tomorrow, my love♥️

 **Hyungwon:**  
☺️  
 _Read✔✔, 11.13 p.m._  
.  
.  
.

**Bunny♥ :**  
good morning love  
i hope you're resting well   
i'll see you soon _  
Delivered✔✔, 5.26 a.m.  
.  
.  
.  
Read✔✔, 6.47 a.m.  
.  
.  
._

 **Hyungwon:**  
good morning   
it's 7 now and i'm wondering if you fell asleep...  
 _Delivered✔✔, 7.16 a.m._  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**  
you must be pretty tired  
we can meet for dinner i don't mind  
have a good day hoseok :)  
 _Sent✔, 8.02 a.m._

* * *


	63. Chapter 63

* * *

** Bunny♥️ **

**Hyungwon:**  
hey hoseok?  
 _Sent✔, 12.01 p.m.  
_.  
.  
.  
hey  
i hope everything's okay  
i assume something really important came up?  
i don't mind rescheduling our date   
it doesn't have to be today don't worry  
just get back to me as soon as you can  
i'm really worried hoseok please  
 _Sent✔, 4.07 p.m._

* * *

** Ki🐹 **

**Hyungwon:**  
kihyun  
have u heard from hoseok recently?

 **Ki🐹:**  
nope  
the last i texted him was two evenings ago

 **Hyungwon:**  
oh...

 **Ki🐹** **:**  
something wrong?

 **Hyungwon:**  
idk im not trying to sound dramatic or anything but it's just we planned to meet up for breakfast but he didn't show up so i suggested that we just meet up for dinner  
that was at 8 this morning and he still hasn't replied  
my messages are not even being delivered to him and he's not answering his phone  
i can't even go over to his workplace to check up on him because i'm having a stupid team discussion soon

 **Ki🐹:**  
don't worry wonnie  
i just finished a meeting with a client so i'm free  
i'll go over and check up on him okay?

 **Hyungwon:**  
please kihyun  
let me know if he's okay

 **Ki🐹:**  
don't worry too much i'm sure that idiot just forgot to charge his phone again  
try to stay calm okay?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i really hope that's what it is  
i don't care if i'm still in the middle of a group discussion just call me back once you get to him

* * *

Hyungwon has probably checked his phone more times today than he ever did in the past week. It wouldn't have happened if the older had responded to at least one of his texts or calls but the last he heard from him was the 5 a.m. text he sent which didn't really go well with him.

Hyungwon tried not to think the worst of anything because really he just wouldn't be able to cope with himself. The last thing he needs is another emotional breakdown and that too in his office. So all Hyungwon does is check his phone and pray that Wonho is okay. And like Kihyun said, he hopes _that idiot_ just forgot to charge his phone.

"Hyungwon," Shownu calls as soon as he enters the meeting room. He sees the younger staring intently at his phone before him. The team discussion had ended almost 15 minutes ago but Hyungwon didn't move an inch from his seat. He was so immersed with his phone that he didn't even realize the other's presence until he called his name. Hyungwon glances up at Shownu briefly before looking back at the texts he sent Wonho. 

"I'm not overthinking this, am I?" Hyungwon mindlessly asks, not even sure if the older knows what he's talking about. "Kihyun wouldn't forget to contact me over something important—I mean, if that's even important. It's been more than 40 minutes since Kihyun texted and his office isn't that far from Hoseok's," he rambles before looking up at the older once again who looks at him with an unreadable expression.

"How did you know I was here?"

"You seem to have forgotten that both yours and the CEO's timetables are plastered right outside your offices," Shownu simply answers. Hyungwon mouths an "oh" before going back to his phone, clicking onto Kihyun's chat now; his last seen was the moment he sent the last text to Hyungwon. 

_Strange_.

"Come on," Shownu beckons as he tugs on the younger's blazer.

"I'm not hungry, hyung," Hyungwon answers naturally.

"I'm not taking you out for food." Hyungwon raises a suspicious brow at this.

"That's a first. So, where are we going then."

"Just—follow me."

Hyungwon complies without really thinking much. He didn't think he had to question Shownu considering how much he trusted the older. All was well when Shownu asked him to get into his car and even the silent drive to the main road. That is until a familiar route is taken and that's when Hyungwon's uneasiness starts to settle in. Instinctively, he presses the contact to the one person that immediately crosses his mind—Wonho—and he prays for him to answer. 

But he doesn't and Hyungwon only grows more concern and anxious as his doubts begin to build up. 

Hyungwon couldn't seem to find his voice along the journey as he sat stiffly at the passenger seat, eyes glued to the multiple signboards they passed. His heart rate only accelerates further when Shownu turns into the _hospital_ parking lot. He then leads him away from his car only to soon realizes that the younger isn't following him. 

When he turns around he sees Hyungwon's eyes gloss with unshed tears as he stands trembling by his car. Shownu walks back to him and grabs his wrist, gently yanking him to come but Hyungwon stubbornly pulls back.

"Why are we here," he asks tightly.

"Hyungwon—"

"Just tell me, hyung, please! I'm not moving until you tell me why you brought me here." Shownu sighs before he steps closer to Hyungwon who desperately searches his eyes for some kind of answer as to why he brought him to a hospital—out of all places. Shownu rests both his arms on Hyungwon's shoulder and gives them a slight squeeze.

"Listen, Kihyun called me that's why I came to get you. He's in there right now—"

"Kihyun? What happened to him!" Hyungwon cuts in with widening eyes.

"He's fine Hyungwon, don't worry," Shownu immediately reassures. "It's— He—He's with _Wonho_. He met with an accident this morning..."

And just like that Hyungwon's world slowly starts to fall apart as the all too familiar scene of his once shattered life seems to repeat itself all over again. The pain. The anxiety. The heartache. Everything seems to deliberately come back and suddenly he finds it hard to catch his breath as his head spins heavily.

Hyungwon dolorously mumbles to whoever might be listening, _"Please, not him. I need him. Please, don't take him away too."_

* * *


	64. Chapter 64

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
it feels like that horrid day all over again  
a fucking déjà vu i never wanted to relive  
i can't bring myself to look at hoseok after seeing his condition  
i heard him shout my name once he saw me and i heard him curse out loud for not being able to run after me  
and maybe i'm glad he couldn't because i don't know what to say to him  
i can't even bear to face him right now  
it just reminds me of you from the day i saw you lying in a fucking hospital bed  
i felt so angry and useless and scared  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
i don't understand  
am i not meant to be happy?   
is that what my life is supposed to be? when i become a little too happy something has to fuck it up and put me back into place  
is that how life generally works or is it just that i am simply not meant to be happy for long?  
i guess i should've known when things were going too well for us  
 _Sent✔  
_ **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**  
minyukkie, you believed in god, right?  
if i pray hard enough you think hoseok won't leave me too?  
please i already lost you   
i don't know what i'll do if i lost hoseok too  
 _Sent✔  
_ **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**  
i'm hiding in the fifth-floor toilet and it's only a matter of time before shownu hyung or kihyun finds me but for now, i just need to be alone  
texting you isn't going to do me any good, i know that but i don't know who else i can turn to right now  
i could really use your comfort now...   
i wish you could console me with your words or even just hug me  
i miss you so much minhyuk  
please come back  
 _Sent✔_

* * *


	65. Chapter 65

* * *

As soon as Hyungwon stepped foot into Wonho's ward the older could see that the younger had already been crying. But the sobs came moments later, those were the ones he didn't expect. He also didn't expect him to rip himself off Shownu's grasp only to then disappear behind the doors.

Wonho called— _yelled_ — for him to come back. Hell, he had completely forgotten the state he is in after seeing the younger. What hurts him the most is knowing that Hyungwon couldn't even directly look him in the eyes. Wonho was ready to get up and run after him but he couldn't when the pain in his body restricts him back to which he shouts a few curses. Kihyun gets up and holds him back, carefully putting him back to lay on the hospital bed.

He knew—he fucking knew he couldn't chase after Hyungwon, not in this state but still, he wanted to try, even if he falls he still wanted to hold the younger in his arms and reassure him that he is okay. Even though injured and bruised, he is still okay.

But he couldn't.

"I'll go get him," Shownu tells them then runs off to retrace Hyungwon's steps.

"Fuck!" Wonho screams another time as he throws his left fist on the bed below him before eliciting another array of curses from the pain of doing that. Kihyun places both his hands on Wonho's right hand (that's in a cast) to stop him from injuring himself any further.

"Don't hurt yourself," Kihyun tells him sadly, understanding the frustration and sadness from both Wonho and Hyungwon's end.

"What—happened?" Wonho rasps out. 

"You got into—"

"Not me," he clarifies. "To _Minhyuk_ —What happened to him?" Kihyun hesitates and Wonho can clearly see that which in all honesty he didn't have the patience for anymore. "I know he passed away. But how exactly? Because I know for a fact that Hyungwon wouldn't react the way he did unless something really bad happened before triggered something." Kihyun ends up sighing, fully knowing he can't dodge this now. 

"A car accident—just like yours—but he didn't make it..."

Kihyun takes a few breathers as that faithful day slowly comes back to him. He remembers how he had gotten the late-night call from Hyungwon who was crying nonstop. He can remember how his words were barely coherent enough to make up what he was trying to say that the taller male had to pass the phone over to a nurse nearby. He can never forget the look on Hyungwon's face that night and he remembers the vivid moment when he saw Minhyuk hooked up to all those wires, watching in horror how there was barely a dent in his heart monitor. And Kihyun most certainly will never forget the most heartwrenching cry Hyungwon made when the doctor told them to make the most heartbreaking decision. 

"He was coming back from his studio when a drunk driver hit him. He was brain dead when he arrived here and it was the hardest decision for us to take him off life support knowing he had no chance of survival."

Wonho's heart sinks even more than it already did. This explains his reaction and honestly, he cannot imagine the pain Hyungwon and everyone else has to go through to watch someone they love slip away just like that. This makes sense why Hyungwon was always hesitant with him driving at night and why he literally would hug the older so tight whenever Wonho did decide to drop by Hyungwon's house. 

"I'm so sorry."

"This crushed him," Kihyun croaks as a tear trails down his cheek. "Hyungwon—he had always blamed himself for everything that has happened; pulling the plug on Minhyuk is one of them even when it was our collective decision to do so. He's just so broken now and never was the same after that."

It's not just Hyungwon who has truly been so deeply affected by this. 

It is like a domino effect; Minhyuk's passing led to the downfall of Hyungwon and this downfall not only worries his friends, but it also brings them down together because they share and understand _this_ pain as well. Everyone is hurting and Wonho knows that just by him being here is triggering enough of those horrid memories to resurface. 

Wonho reaches out a hand and holds Kihyun's free one, squeezes it to offer the best comfort he can give at the moment.

"It still hurts—but—but we'll be okay," Kihyun reassures him softly with a broken smile.

It wasn't easy for Shownu to find Hyungwon, let alone to convince him to see Wonho. But bless the man's soul for being patient enough to persuade through the younger's buzzing head and almost an hour after running away into hiding, Shownu finally brought a distraught looking Hyungwon into Wonho's ward.

Both Kihyun and Wonho were seen talking to each other but they fall silent upon the other two males' arrival. Hyungwon's eyes can't help but scan over the older male's condition—his right hand is in a cast, he is shirtless as his upper abdomen is wrapped in bandages and his left leg is hoisted a little higher in a cast as well. There are also visible stitches around his lower abdomen and one across his right eyebrow with purple and yellow bruises littering the rest of his uncovered body. 

Hyungwon instantly searches for Wonho's eyes and when his gaze is already fixed, he felt another round of warm tears cascade down his puffed-up cheeks. He looks battered, in pain and God, does Hyungwon desperately wants to take all those pain.

"Hello, my love," Wonho says softly with his left hand extended, beckoning for the younger to come to him. Even in the condition, he is in, Wonho still manages to give him a small smile. That is enough to have Hyungwon leave Shownu's hand to go to Wonho's side. Hyungwon takes that one hand and immediately crumbles into a painful cry of just relief. Wonho's own tears can't help but fall as he gently brings the younger in for a side hug, feeling guilty for ever having to put Hyungwon through something so traumatizing again.

"I'm alright, baby," Wonho whispers into Hyungwon's ears but Hyungwon just keeps crying. He needs a moment to fully comprehend that the horrible scenarios in his head aren't true and that Wonho is in fact here, in his grasp. Both Kihyun and Shownu see how Hyungwon only seems to be crying harder and so they walk over to the younger's side and they each rub his back comfortingly. 

"Wonnie, everything's okay. See, Wonho's right here," Kihyun tells him softly with his heart too breaking for his friend because he knows how emotionally shaken up he must be as of this moment. 

"Baby, shh~ I'm right here," Wonho tries to reassure. 

It takes the younger a good moment to fully calm down and this was when Kihyun and Shownu left the Hyungwon to stay with Wonho for the night. 

Now, Hyungwon's holding onto Wonho's left hand while staring out the window, mindlessly watching the view and maybe sometimes counting the number of cars passing by. He stays close to Wonho, not leaving an inch apart from him. Whenever Wonho would shifts a little Hyungwon's attention immediately snaps back to him and his full-blown worried complexion is on display—just like this moment.

"Are you okay? Are you in pain? Do you need painkillers?" Hyungwon bombards with questions, voice dripping with thick concern. Wonho hates to see the younger so on edge like this, and that too because of him.

"Come here," Wonho says, patting the bed beside his good side. Hyungwon hesitates. "I'm alright, my love. Just come here." 

Hyungwon complies and sits just beside him thinking to leave a good small distance to not _hurt_ him, but Wonho thinks otherwise. Wonho wraps his left arm around Hyungwon's waist and the younger male gasps. When Wonho softly caresses his side to give him consent that _'it is okay'_ , Hyungwon leans his head on the older's shoulder, snuggling closer, but being careful not to get close to any of the stitches and casts.

He fits perfectly well in the older male's arm. Wonho rests his chin on Hyungwon's shoulder, gently nuzzling his nose against his neck, taking in his cologne mixed with a hint of his intoxicating natural scent. He couldn't help but kiss his nape which sends Hyungwon visibly shuddering from the sudden sensation.

"Love, everything's okay," Wonho tells him with his lips grazing against his exposed skin.

Hyungwon just sighs, trying to gain more comfort from the male's warm arm.

"Hey," he says, bringing Hyungwon to face him. "I know you're scared, but please don't do this to yourself. Nothing is your fault." 

This triggers a chain of emotions in Hyungwon. A turmoil of battle within himself as he tries to believe the words uttered by the male next to him. His eyes slowly start to burn once again with the tears clinging to his lash line brimming full. This breaks the older's heart to see him like this.

"I—I can't do this again," Hyungwon says as soft as a whisper as a tear falls. Wonho reaches forward and wipes the tear away before placing another kiss just above the eye where the tear had fallen.

"I'm right here." Hyungwon whimpers, biting his lips when he feels his throat tighten. Wonho brings the younger into a side hug and Hyungwon clings onto him again, holding him so tight that if he let's go even a little Wonho—too—would slip away.

"You should sleep, love. Kihyun told me you had quite a day." Hyungwon only nods before he hesitantly loosens his grip but Wonho grabs Hyungwon's arm to pull him back. "Sleep here with me?" 

Hyungwon's cheeks reddened as he nods shyly. Hyungwon helps Wonho to lay down on the bed before he slips in, careful not to touch his right side or accidentally hit his left leg. Wonho wraps his left arm around the male's thin waist and pulls him close to his body, making sure he doesn't fall off the edge of the bed.

Hyungwon thought he could finally sleep after knowing Wonho is alright and even more having him this close to him—but he was wrong. It is already 2 a.m. and he is very much wide awake. Hyungwon has his head on Wonho's left shoulder as they have their hands intertwined. For a while now he has been placing soft kisses on the back of the older's intertwined hand.

Not too long after Wonho stirs in his sleep and brings Hyungwon closer, nuzzling his nose into the younger's hair.

"Sleep, my love. You must be tired," Wonho whispers. Hyungwon shrugs to that. Yes, he is tired but he just couldn't sleep with his thoughts all loud and conscious. 

Once the older had seemed to settle again, Hyungwon lifts his head just enough so that his lips lightly touch the older's jaw. He plants a few soft kisses along his jaw. Seconds later the older's eyes flutter open before looking down at him sleepily.

"Can't sleep, love?" Hyungwon shakes his head guiltily. "What's wrong?"

"I—I've been thinking..." he trails off as his other hand draws miscellaneous patterns on Wonho's bare chest.

"Sometimes, you think too much, love. Try to get some sleep."

"No please, just listen. I don't want to regret this," he pleads.

"I'm all ears," Wonho mumbles, squeezing the younger's intertwined hand for comfort. 

All the words he had planned and wanted to say suddenly just goes blank. So, he sets his gaze upon the male's eyes ones anticipating what he has to say, before they avert to his lips, chapped and split, but that didn't matter because moments later he leans in and carefully attaches his plump lips to those bruised ones. He feels a gasp elicited by the older male due to the sudden initiation but seconds later Wonho finds himself melting in the sweet pair of lips on his. 

And so he kisses back.

When they pull apart Wonho's very much surprised expression can be seen clearly from only the lights coming from the window behind them. His worried eyes scan over the younger's face to see if they displayed any sort of sadness or even regret. But unlike the previous night, he sees none of that. Only a pair of eyes lightly gleaming and the lips that were only seconds before on his is for once smiling.

Hyungwon then quietly confesses, "I like you, too, Hoseok."

* * *


	66. Chapter 66

* * *

Wonho feels the bed, it is cold and empty. He dissatisfyingly whines before opening his eyes wondering where Hyungwon had gone. Of course, his initial thought is that the younger had run away _again_ after last night's event which of course settles heavily in his chest.

But all his doubts evaporate when he hears the familiar deep voice speaking not too far from him. His head snaps to the side and his heart mayhaps leaped a little. Hyungwon is looking out the window with a stack of paper in one hand and his phone against his ear in the other. Wonho can't help but grin like a lovesick puppy seeing that the younger is still here.

_It wasn't a dream._

He didn't realize he was staring the whole time until the younger ended the call and turns around to look at him with a bright smile. ' _Shit_ ,' Wonho internally curses. If he thinks he has fallen into deep all this time he was wrong, this—this feeling right here, this is what falling into deep is.

"Hey. Good morning," Hyungwon greets as he places the stake of paper and phone on the table nearby before he walks over to the older. He bends down and plants a delicate kiss on the older's lips.

Wonho gasps, still taken aback by this _sudden_ action. When Hyungwon moves away Wonho puts his hand to the back of the younger's neck and brings him back down making him sit on the bed as he initiates the kiss this time, a proper kiss—one that lasts a tad bit longer leaving the both of them slightly breathless once they break apart.

Hyungwon sees the huge smirk plastered on Wonho's face as he moves back a little and he, too, unconsciously smiles back, his chest feeling light and his stomach doing all sorts of somersaults. It has been a while since he felt this giddy and he forgot almost how good it feels. 

"I can get used to this," Wonho beams with a toothy grin. "Kissing you, I mean. Not waking up in a hospital bed." Hyungwon slaps the other's (good) arm and glare at him.

"If you ever end up in a hospital again, I will fucking leave you to rot here, you understand me Lee Hoseok? You can't fucking do this to—" Wonho shuts the younger up by pulling him into another kiss. Wonho makes sure to peck his top lip before caressing his now red cheek.

"I promise, love, I will never put you through this again." Hyungwon sighs as he leans in to carefully hug the older. Wonho wraps his arm around the taller male's waist and brings him in for a much tighter embrace.

"I will chop your fucking limbs if you do," Hyungwon mumbles as threatening as he could but at the same time nuzzling his nose into the bare shoulder.

"Feisty—I like. Are you the same in bed?" Wonho teases to lighten the mood a little. Hyungwon playfully gasps as he moves away to look at him with hooded eyes.

"I'll have you know that I top in this relationship."

This causes Wonho to laugh heartily especially at how serious the younger seems to be with his profound statement. Hyungwon raises a brow, clearly confused as to what was funny with what he said. You see, he truly believes he is much more dominant than the older.

"You're—cute, my love, thinking—you'd top me," Wonho says in between laughs. Hyungwon huffs in annoyance, rolling his eyes dramatically at the male before him who is still trying to keep his laughing at bay.

With the younger too busy staring holes at the wall behind him, the older takes this opportunity to kiss Hyungwon, once again. He initially planned a sweet, short kiss. But when Hyungwon unintentionally moans into this kiss, this all but excites the older to deepen it even more. Hyungwon's body seems to react on its own when Wonho turns the younger to fully face him. Hyungwon instinctively wraps his arms around Wonho's neck and leans in further, pressing himself against the older's side to try and deepen the kiss—if it's possible at this point.

They fight for dominance with Wonho eventually winning, leading him to graze his teeth along Hyungwon's now swollen bottom lip before they detach when they run out of breath. Hyungwon rests his forehead against Wonho's and they both stare at each other—no words needed to be spoken.

The silence is thick with only their heavy breaths heard, but this silence contents both of them. They didn't need the exchange of words to justify the feelings they felt. The kiss(es) they just shared, the longing look of endearment they have for each other, the need their bodies felt—those are enough. Those are loud enough for both Hyungwon and Wonho to hear.

"Kihyun was right," Wonho tells him, eyes never for a moment leaving the male in front of him who still has his arms around his neck. "You're so worth it." Hyungwon's eyes widen and his mouth parts slightly, overwhelmed by what he just heard. "You're so precious and not giving up on you was so fucking worth it," Wonho continues as his hand that now rests on the younger's lower back draws soothing circles.

"I—I don't know what to say," Hyungwon mutters meekly.

"You don't have to say anything," Wonho reassures with a smile. "Wait," he suddenly stops and gives the younger a slightly more serious look. "We've kissed and well, confessed our feelings and all... So, does this mean...?"

Hyungwon smiles, placing a hand on Wonho's cheek before proposing, "Lee Hoseok, I know it has been pretty long overdue, but will you be my boyfriend?"

"What?" is the older's initial reaction. "No~" Wonho then whines. Hyungwon frowns, hand quickly falling from his face.

"Baby, I wanted to ask that! I wanted to be the one to propose to you," he complains with a cute pout on his lips. Hyungwon gapes at him in disbelief.

"You imbecile!" Hyungwon exclaims and hits his arm after almost flushing tomato-red out of embarrassment.

"Ouch—"

"How dare you—!"

"Hyungwon—Baby—"

"Don't _'baby'_ me you idiot! You ass! You dum-dum—"

"Dum-dum?" Wonho snickers at that. Hyungwon grunts as he throws another punch to the older's good arm. "Are you done now?"

"Not quite. My vocabulary for 'idiot' is pleasantly vast," Hyungwon tells him as-a-matter-of-factly.

"That's good to know," he sarcastically remarks. He takes the younger's hand and brings it over to his lips to plant a kiss on it then place it over his heart, looking at him with so much admiration. 

"In all seriousness, I'm your boyfriend now, right? I can really call you mine?"

"Yes you dimwit, you're my boyfriend," Hyungwon clarifies with an eye roll.

"And you're my boyfriend! FUCK!" Wonho literally shouts in tremendous joy that the younger jumps a little.

"What's wrong! What happened?" Kihyun suddenly comes bursting worriedly into the room after hearing the sudden commission as he was making his way to pay a visit. When he sees the pair, he frowns in confusion.

"Is everything okay?" he then asks, motioning to the both of them.

"He's my fucking boyfriend!" Wonho proclaims proudly as he brings the now fully tomato-faced younger into his bare chest, nuzzling his hair happily without caring about the slight pain he is feeling from moving a little too much. Kihyun's face softens at the both of them.

"Sweets, we're still in the hospital," Hyungwon whispers, embarrassed now that one of their friends is here witnessing all this. 

Wonho couldn't care less. He is happy—no, beyond that. He is euphoric! He could scream for hours at how warm his chest feels and how suddenly looking at the shy male in his arms sends his heart rate racing infinitely faster.

As for Hyungwon, this may be the first time in a long while where he truly, genuinely feels so happy.

* * *


	67. Chapter 67

* * *

**Beer Pressure**

**Ki🐹:**  
guys  
important news!!!

 **Nunu🐻:**  
where are you btw?

 **Ki🐹:**  
i just left the hospital after visiting wonho  
but back to the important news!!

 **I.M Kyun🐺**  
this must be exciting  
tell us hyung!

 **Ki🐹:**  
HYUNGWON‼  
WONHO‼

 **Hyungwon:**  
what did we do🙄

 **Bunny♥:**  
baby where are you  
and ki what are you accusing my baby of😤

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'll be right back sweets  
i'm talking to the nurses about changing your ward

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
hyung  
called  
him   
SWEETS????

 **Ki🐹:**  
YEESSS🤣

 **Hyungwon:**  
you guys are exaggerating this

 **Ki🐹:**  
please they can't keep their hands to themselves

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
Hyung😭😭

 **Bunny♥:**  
i wouldn't deny that

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok!

 **Bunny♥:**  
call me _sweets_ again or anything other than 'hoseok' because i feel like i'm being scolded🥺

 **Nunu🐻:**  
so you guys are finally official?

 **Hyungwon:**  
😗  
no comment

 **Bunny♥:**  
😚

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
I'M SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW

 **Bunny♥:**  
I AM SO HAPPY TOO CHANGKYUNNIE 😭

 **Ki🐹:**  
i swear you act like a kid that just got gifted a whole set of toys

 **Bunny♥:**  
this beats every gift i've ever gotten☺️

 **Hyungwon:**  
please my cheeks are hurting stop  
  


 **Jooheon:**  
you're whipped dude

 **Bunny♥:**  
😫🤚  
also this nurse changing my IV tube is giving me suggestive looks  
is it cuz i have no shirt on or is it cuz i look so beaten up

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
why aren't you wearing a shirt hyung 👀

 **Hyungwon:**  
you still have no shirt on?🤨

 **Bunny♥:**  
my hospital gown got stained so the other nurse went to get a new one

 **Hyungwon:**  
well you better make it clear that your _boyfriend_ is on his way  
right now 

**Nunu🐻:**  
i didn't peg you to be the jealous type😂

 **Ki🐹:**  
oh he's a handful 🙄

 **Bunny♥:**  
don't worry love i made it clear that my _boyfriend_ is on his way🥰

 **Ki🐹:**  
you guys are like lovesick puppies🤢

 **Hyungwon:**  
your lonely ass is just jealous 😛

 **Ki🐹:**  
fuck you

 **Jooheon:**  
wonho hyung wouldn't be too happy about that

 **Hyungwon:**  
we are not discussing our sex life here

 **Jooheon:  
** i was about to ask who tops...

 **Bunny♥:**  
i think we all know who😌

 **Ki🐹:**  
i can see wonho being a perfect top

 **Nunu🐻:**  
but hyungwon could also top🤷‍♂️

 **I.M Kyun🐺:**  
or they could be a switch couple!

 **Bunny♥:**  
you see that, love?

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok we are not discussing this in front of 4 other homo sapiens

 **Bunny♥:**  
okok  
  


* * *

**Bunny♥**

**Bunny♥:**  
so what do you think about being a switch couple?

 **Hyungwon:**  
jesus hoseok

 **Bunny♥:**  
you said you didn't want to discuss it with the other homo sapiens  
so private chat it is

 **Hyungwon:**  
keep your horny ass to yourself thank you

 **Bunny♥:**  
but baby😢

 **Hyungwon:**  
lets focus on your recovery first ok?  
you can barely move a good inch without being in pain

 **Bunny♥:**  
fine :(  
come quick, love   
i miss you :(((

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm almost there sweets

 **Bunny♥:**  
hurry this bunny is getting lonely  
and loneliness can kill a bunny

 **Hyungwon:**  
so i've been told before

 **Bunny♥:**  
also one more question love

 **Hyungwon:**  
sure

 **Bunny♥:**  
how kinky are you?

 **Hyungwon:**  
how long does it take a bunny to die from loneliness

 **Bunny♥:**  
why are you asking😢😢

 **Hyungwon:**  
just for a friend🙃

* * *


	68. Chapter 68

* * *

** Bunny♥ **

**Bunny♥:**  
baby :(

 **Hyungwon:**  
is everything ok?

 **Bunny♥:**  
i'm okay  
shownu just left with kihyun  
i miss you  
and i wouldn't lie i would very much want to kiss you right now

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm sorry sweetheart the meeting's taking longer than expected

 **Bunny♥:**  
wait how are you even texting now  
wouldn't your father murder you or something

 **Hyungwon:**  
i explained the situation to him and he somewhat understands which technically means its fine as long as i don't mess up shit in the upcoming reports

 **Bunny♥:**  
well my baby is amazing at his job so he shouldn't worry too much

 **Hyungwon:**  
how are you feeling?  
did the nurses come in today?

 **Bunny♥:**  
they checked on me an hour ago and made sure i'm ready to be discharged

 **Hyungwon:**  
did the doctor say anything?

 **Bunny♥:**  
not much  
just don't forget to take my meds in time and no heavy movements  
which means no gym  
which equivalents to no abs  
which also means i can't impress you with my body

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok i'm not with you just for your body

 **Bunny♥:**  
😢

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok baby come on   
i'm not with you just because i can proudly show ppl that my boyfriend is fucking hot   
you know that right

 **Bunny♥:**  
you think i'm fucking hot :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok...  
you're missing the point

 **Bunny♥:**  
😢😢

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok sweetheart you have such a big heart and the way you care for others could never compare to anything else  
you put yourself first before anything  
you always go out of your way to make sure that i am okay even when i was a dick to you yet you still cared  
you truly are an amazing person, hoseok and you deserve so much more  
i am honestly so lucky to have you  
please know that i am not with you simply because of your body  
i like you for who you are deep inside   
even if you become chubby i would still be with you

 **Bunny♥:**  
fuck i'm crying

 **Hyungwon:**  
please don't :(

 **Bunny♥:**  
too late  
you know i'm an emotional bunny  
and when you say things like that how am i supposed to not cry :((((

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm not lying tho hoseok  
i genuinely like you so much

 **Bunny♥:**  
i know :(

 **Hyungwon:**  
sweetheart please don't be sad

 **Bunny♥:**  
m not sad just overwhelmed(?)

 **Hyungwon:**  
my poor baby 💔

 **Bunny♥:**  
🥺

 **Hyungwon:**  
anyways have you packed your belongings in the room

 **Bunny♥:**  
i'm about to do that  
tho i would need some help with some things👉👈

 **Hyungwon:**  
don't worry i'll be there to help  
fuck sweetheart i gotta go my father is giving me death stares from across the room  
i hope this goddamn meeting will end soon  
see you <3

 **Bunny♥:**  
see you soon my love❤

* * *

* * *


	69. Chapter 69

* * *

** Bunny♥ **

**Hyungwon:**  
I  
am so embarrassed   
save me hoseok  
i might just die from this embarrassment and its not even an exaggeration anymore  
😫😫😫

 **Bunny♥:**  
aw my love what happened

 **Hyungwon:**  
fucking Yoo Kihyun happened  
he and his unending scheme to embarrass the very life out of me  
i swear i thought he had flaunted out all his confidence in uni already🙄

 **Bunny♥:**  
what did he do😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
you know he just got a heaping bonus right

 **Bunny♥:**  
oh yes he told me  
he also offered to buy me steak for dinner next week once i'm fully recovered :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
wait he did what  
that fucker didn't offer me anything🙄  
anyways back to the point  
so he and i planned to meet up at my company's lobby   
when i arrived there he was already engaged in a conversation with some of the employees and he fucking called himself, i kid you not  
 **YOUNG FLEXER**!!?  
fuck the first, second and even third-hand embarrassment is real

 **Bunny♥:**  
please baby my stomach hurts from laughing too much  
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
yhat fucking idiot  
and he has not stopped calling himself that ever since  
like as if he just rediscovered a 'cool' way to address his short ass  
why is he so proud of that name😖

 **Bunny♥:**  
i am wheezing fuck

 **Hyungwon:**  
😫😫

* * *

** Ki🐹 **

**Ki🐹:**  
hello look at me when we're together  
i need attention🥺

 **Hyungwon:**  
fuck no  
i'm too embarrassed to be seen with you

 **Ki🐹:**  
my Cartier heart is in diamond pieces 💔

 **Hyungwon:**  
kihyun i swear to god

 **Ki🐹:**  
just Young Flexer thing you know🤪🤙  
wiat stop walking so fast

 **Hyungwon:**  
get a pair of YEEZY to catch up

 **Ki🐹:**  
maybe I will :p  
Young Flexer needs his swag game to be strong

 **Hyungwon:**  
i do not know you  
periodt  
  


* * *

** Beer Pressure **

_Ki🐹 changed the subject from "Beer Pressure" to "Young Flexer's Gang 🤑💸"_

**Nunu🐻:**  
???

 **Hyungwon:**  
this idiot has lost it🤦‍♂️

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
who's Young Flexer? and why are we in his gang??

 **Bunny♥:**  
oh fuck🤣

 **Jooheon:**  
is he a new rapper of some sort? 

**Nunu🐻:**  
it could be a she🤷‍♂️

 **Jooheon:**  
 ** _@Nunu🐻_** you're right

 **Ki🐹:**  
ladies and gentlemen

 **Hyungwon:**  
there are literally no ladies here...

 **Ki🐹:**  
Young Flexer is in the house🙌  
🤙🤑💸

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
owhh are you this Young Flexer hyung?

 **Ki🐹:**  
the one and only😛

 **Hyungwon:**  
fuck no  
change it back!

 **Jooheon:**  
why Young Flexer tho

 **Ki🐹:**  
because i'm the Young Flexer come on🤙

 **Jooheon:**  
...  
that's not an answer but okay

 **Hyungwon:**  
i hate you

 **Ki🐹:**  
🤑🤙

* * *

** Ki🐹 **

**Ki🐹:**   
  


**Hyungwon:**  
i'm getting a restraining order tomorrow

 **Ki🐹:**  
harsh

 **Hyungwon:**  
and i'm blocking you until further notice👌

 **Ki🐹:**  
you're just salty you're not as cool as Young Flexer🤙  
 _Read✔✔_

_Block Ki🐹_

Cancel | **Block**

 **Ki🐹:**  
fuck you were serious  
hyungwon no restraining orders please   
i'm your partner in crime remember? :) :) :) :) :)  
 _Sent✔_

* * *

** Wonhoe **

**Kihyun:**  
hello  
kindly tell your boyfriend to unblock me or at least to not get a restraining order  
also kindly remind him that he loves me for an added bonus  
thank you

 **Wonhoe:**  
wtf did you do😂

* * *


	70. Chapter 70

* * *

** Bunny♥  
**

**Bunny♥:**

**Hyungwon:**  
hoseok baby did you dye your hair again?

 **Bunny♥:**  
do you like it☺️

 **Hyungwon:**  
didn't you just dye it black 2 weeks ago🙄

 **Bunny♥:  
** that was 14 days ago  
besides i was rotting away at home

 **Hyungwon:**  
2 weeks is 14 days¿¿¿

 **Bunny♥:  
** my point is 14 days sounds much longer than 2 weeks  
don't fight me on this

 **Hyungwon:  
**...  
i have no words  
why do i even like you

 **Bunny♥:**  
because i'm kind  
funny  
charming  
incredibly handsome  
not to mention HAWT

 **Hyungwon:**  
HOT**

 **Bunny♥:**  
yes yes   
every ounce of this muscle is all yours, love😉

 **Hyungwon:**  
lucky me!

 **Bunny♥:  
** that sounds like sarcasm :(

 **Hyungwon:**  
there might be a pinch of it in there  
but don't worry like i said i don't like you just for your looks❤

 **Bunny♥:  
** i'm touched🥰  
but love you didn't tell me do i look good 😢

 **Hyungwon:**  
ofc you do!  
its so unfair how you suit every color  
just when i thought you looked hot in red fuck you proved me wrong with white  
what's next? blue on the tips of your hair?

 **Bunny♥:**  
owh love, i haven't even thought of that!  
should i try that? would i look good?

 **Hyungwon:**  
heck you could dye your hair in rainbow colors and i'd still drool over you  
ok wait

 **Bunny♥:  
** ohh😏

 **Hyungwon:**  
i sent that too early

 **Bunny♥:  
** so you do drool over me😏

 **Hyungwon:**  
that's another example of texting without thinking kids

 **Bunny♥:  
** how do you feel about my post-gym selfies?

 **Hyungwon:**  
fucking take me already

 **Bunny♥:  
** you sound very much like a bottom now my love😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
shhh  
i can compromise when the time is needed

 **Bunny♥:  
** 😂😂😂

  
 **Hyungwon:**  
back to the pressing question  
why did you change it again?

 **Bunny♥:  
** i got bored with the color

 **Hyungwon:**  
you got bored with the color...

 **Bunny♥:  
** see you get me😘  
have you ever tot abt dying your hair?

 **Hyungwon:**  
maybe a few times😗

 **Bunny♥:  
** what color??

 **Hyungwon:**  
there was once where i dyed it ash grey in uni  
then i had blonde after that  
idk i was thinking maybe pink?  
i don't even know if it'll suit me😫  
hey  
i think pink will suit you well :)))

 **Bunny♥:  
** baby i think you'll look amazing in pink  
fuck you'll look so hot

 **Hyungwon:**  
you think i look hot in anything  
maybe even if i get a bald cut you'd still think i'm hot🤧

 **Bunny♥:  
** although it is true that's beside the point🤚  
i think you would very much suit pink  
a lighter shade of pink would go well with your complexion

 **Hyungwon:**  
i shall take that into consideration

 **Bunny♥:  
** i really wish i cud drive over to ur place now :(

 **Hyungwon:**  
on the contrary please open your door in fifteen mins :)

 **Bunny♥:  
** wait you're coming??

 **Hyungwon:**  
maybe?

 **Bunny♥:  
** 😢

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok i'm sorry i couldn't visit you this past week

 **Bunny♥  
** baby

 **Hyungwon:**  
i really tried i swear

 **Bunny♥:  
** BABY 

**Hyungwon:**  
i know work is not an excuse to not visit and see how you've been doing and i'm truly sorry  
i'll try to be better next time  
i'll be a much better boyfriend

 **Bunny♥:  
** hyungwon stop  
just stop typing

 **Hyungwon:**  
:((

 **Bunny♥:  
** baby i don't think i've ever complained about you not visiting me since i left the hospital  
and i don't need you to be better  
i like you just the way you are  
besides you stayed by my side literally the whole time i was in the hospital i couldn't ask for anything more  
i understand how busy you can get and i wouldn't ever want you to neglect your work for me

 **Hyungwon:**  
but i would do that

 **Bunny♥:  
** trust me i know you would  
you do enough hyungwon whether it be your work or taking care of me  
you always check up on me, even if it's over text and facetime  
it's better than nothing

 **Hyungwon:**  
i suppose so...

 **Bunny♥:  
** hey don't go guilt-tripping on yourself now  
you're coming over, right? then that shall make up for the times you couldn't

 **Hyungwon:**  
i was thinking i could stay overnight and then drive you to the hospital tomorrow for your final appointment  
is that too much?

 **Bunny♥:  
** baby it could never be too much  
i would love to have you stay over

 **Hyungwon:**  
:')

 **Bunny♥:  
** aww baby come on smile for me

**Hyungwon:  
  
**

will this do?

**Bunny♥:  
** ouch  
it's way more than i bargained for

 **Hyungwon:**  
🥺🥺🥺

 **Bunny♥:  
** fuck you make me so happy

 **Hyungwon:**  
you make me so happy too hoseok

* * *


	71. Chapter 71

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
hi minhyukkie  
it's been a while hasn't it   
little life update perhaps?  
hoseok and i are together... i guess you could say finally  
everyone's happy for us   
i'm happy for us so that's good, right?  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
it'll be three months tomorrow   
i mean it's only been three weeks or so since we made it official but hoseok wanted to consider  
our time together since we last visited you  
he said that's when we truly became much more comfortable with each other and i agree with him  
i just hate how it took a whole blow from his accident to make me realize how much i truly care about him and that i can't bear to lose him like i lost you  
 _Sent✔  
_.  
.  
.  
even so, if i'm completely honest i don't think i've fully gotten over you  
i know this is hardly fair for hoseok  
he deserves someone who would give their whole heart to him  
yet here he is being with someone who has half their heart for him and the other half with a lover who's no longer here...  
 _Sent✔_  
 _ **.**_

_**.** _

_**.** _

hoseok's asleep next to me and boy is he a cuddler  
not that i mind  
it's nice to feel safe and wanted by someone  
he's such a wonderful guy minhyukkie and i think you both would get along pretty well if you two were to meet  
i sometimes catch myself wondering how all that would turn out  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
i should probably sleep right now  
tonight might just be one of those rare nights where i'll actually be able to sleep peacefully  
i love you minhyuk, i hope you know that  
 _Sent✔_

* * *


	72. Chapter 72

* * *

"Hoseok, don't you dare come any closer," Hyungwon warns from across the counter. Wonho has on a mischievous smirk as he takes steps around the counter to get closer to the male who already has a pointed finger at him. 

"I swear I will fucking murder you. Do not bring your sweaty body close to me." Hyungwon glares at him but oh did it affect Wonho so little. Clearly Wonho has other intentions and he does not plan on listening to the younger—at least not now. 

He immediately lunges forward and wraps his sweaty self tightly around the taller male causing him to scream in annoyance.

"Murder huh? Don't you think that's a little brutal, my love?" Wonho teases close to the younger's ear that sends shiver down his spine and Wonho likes how his body reacts to his mere touch.

"LEE HOSEOK!" he shouts, trying to wriggle out from the sweaty grip. Wonho eventually let's go but not before planting a wet kiss on Hyungwon's cheek. 

"Fuck!" Hyungwon grunts as he wipes the sweat off the side of his cheek.

Wonho runs to the opposite side of the kitchen counter with a burst of melodious laughter trailing along as he sees the much-flustered Hyungwon staring daggers at him. Hyungwon soon after chases him and that's when Wonho takes off down the hall and up the stairs.

"Kids," Kihyun grumbles with an eye roll. "Don't go knocking any of my precious ornaments, you idiots!" The only responses he gets are Wonho's laughter and Hyungwon's endless promise to kill him as they run up the stairs.

"I didn't know you and Wonho went to the same gym," Kihyun says as he gives Shownu a bottle of water from the fridge.

"My regular gym was packed today so I went for another one. Turns out Wonho is a regular there. That's good cause I found a new workout buddy since all you guys are pretty much lazy asses," Shownu says with a snicker.

"In my defense, I did go to the gym a few times," Kihyun defensively tells him.

"By _'went a few times'_ you mean never step foot into one after that first entry?"

"At least I ticked something off my bucket list that year."

"And what is that?"

"Getting a gym membership," Kihyun snaps, narrowing his eyes at the older man who's chuckling now. 

"Good for you." Shownu pats the shorter male's back for his very proud achievement which he pretty much knew that that membership expired with much misery after only using it once, or maybe twice if you would count that one-time Hyungwon borrowed it to run on the treadmill to train for a marathon he was forced to join. 

Then both Kihyun and Shownu's attention is brought to the floor above them when a loud thud is heard. 

"These two," Kihyun glowers whilst shaking his head. They both waited for another sound, some running or maybe even the sound of some of Kihyun's precious ornaments breaking—but they heard nothing.

* * *

** Ki🐹 **

**Ki🐹:**  
pray tell which room you guys are in  
or are you both already asleep...🙄  
 _Delivered✔✔_  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.  
** _Read✔✔_  
 **  
  
**

**Hyungwon:  
  
**

tjid idipt is harrassigg mww

  
 **Ki🐹** :  
i am going to pretend i know what that means👌

* * *

Not even seconds after Kihyun sent that text a set of footsteps is heard right above them again.

"Hoseok let me go!" Hyungwon shrieks out loud seconds later.

"Hyungwon if you don't stop moving we're both gonna fall down the stairs," Wonho tells him as they both slowly come into view — Wonho carries Hyungwon bridal-style down the stairs. Hyungwon still trashes in the larger arms which he knows is no use but he is a stubborn man.

"I'm icky now," Hyungwon huffs once they're at the bottom of the steps. Wonho gently places Hyungwon down but he doesn't let go as he back hugs him with a wide smile.

"Aw come on love, I'm not all that sweaty," he coos as he nuzzles his nose against the younger's nape.

"Why didn't you shower at the gym!"

"I mayhaps have gotten a little too excited when Shownu told me he's coming here to meet Kihyun after his session." Hyungwon turns his head with a raised brow.

"He got excited knowing _you_ were here, Hyungwon," Shownu clarifies with a snicker. "He insisted we leave straight away."

"I have never felt anymore of a third-wheel than now," Kihyun voices out as he sits on his couch.

"Same here," Shownu counters as he falls beside Kihyun.

"Jealous," Wonho mumbles and continues to nuzzle his face into the younger's nape, inhaling his natural scent and gathering warmth altogether.

"When do you plan on letting me go?"

"Well considering you're not fighting to get away from me anymore, we can stay like this a little longer because you smell good."

"I'm immune now," Hyungwon sighs as he gives him. 

He relaxes his body in the arms of the larger male and just takes in his presence. Wonho then starts planting butterfly kisses along his skin; from the back of his ear all the way to the skin that meets his shoulder blades. Wonho's lips go back to the nape of Hyungwon's neck, placing a few more thick kisses on one spot before he takes the skin between his teeth and suck on it.

Hyungwon voluntarily submits to the pleasure that coursed through his body as he leans his neck to the side further for the older male to gain better access to kiss. Hyungwon got so lost in the sensation that he had only realized what the older had done once his lips no longer linger on his skin. He gasps and Wonho leans over to kiss over the now red bruise on his neck. 

"Did you just—How am I suppose to cover this," Hyungwon groans.

"Nothing with a little concealer can't fix. You can mark me too if you want," Wonho offers with a flirtatious wink. Hyungwon elicits a few curses as he hits Wonho all while Kihyun and Shownu sink even lower on the sofa with their heads shaking at how shameless they both are.

* * *


	73. Chapter 73

* * *

Hyungwon can feel the trembling man pressed heavily against his chest. He has his protective arms around him occasionally stroking his arms to give him some comfort from his fear. Hyungwon braces himself when a jump scare occurs or even when the music suddenly booms too loud because that's when the older in his arms would suddenly jump and whimper, cowering deeper into his chest.

When the horror movie is finally over Hyungwon sighs with content at how well the whole movie was before turning his full attention to the male close to him.

"Sweetheart, it's over," Hyungwon coos softly to Wonho. Wonho—who's too consumed with fear—just shuts his eyes tight and shakes his head.

"Sweets," Hyungwon calls again, this time removing the hands from his ears and tilt his head back to see the slight tears wetting around his eyes and the swollen lips from biting them too much.

Hyungwon coos at this as he gently pads his thumb over his tear-stained eyes before placing a peck on his nose. "It's over," he tells him. Wonho pouts as he looks over at the television to see that the credit scenes had rolled in.

"Sweets, you're shaking." Hyungwon takes both his hands and holds it in his to keep the shaking to a minimum.

"That—That was a horrible movie," Wonho stutters out his words making his lisp so much more noticeable. Hyungwon can't help but bend over and place a kiss on his trembling lips. God, Hyungwon might just be as whipped as Wonho.

"You know you have the cutest lisp when you're stuttering," Hyungwon compliments sincerely whilst holding both his flushed cheeks in his palms, squishing them lightly.

"This is—is no time to comment about my—lisp," he pouts further, glaring at him. "That movie—is going to give me nightmares!"

"Aw, my poor baby~" Hyungwon affectionately messes up his hair making Wonho whines even more. "I'll go make you some tea. Would that make you feel better?" He offers, getting ready to leave the comfortable cocoon they made themselves with all the blankets they could find in Hyungwon's cupboard. But Wonho holds the younger back, pressing him against the sofa so that he couldn't leave.

"Don't leave me here alone! That's the number one rule after every horror movie!" Hyungwon raised an eyebrow at him amusingly. "Also, don't expect me to go home tonight. I'm staying here no matter what you say. You created this mess now take responsibility."

All Hyungwon can do is laugh at how serious the older sounds before pulling him back into his embrace once again. Wonho wraps his arms around the younger's slim torso and snuggles his head against his chest, listening to the calm heartbeat of the younger.

"How have you been, my love?" Wonho asks out of the blue which really takes the younger aback for a moment. Wonho clearly feels the younger's body stiffen and he can't really tell if that's a good thing.

"I've been good..." Hyungwon says, his words almost trailing into an uncertain question. Wonho rubs his thumb over the younger's now slightly protruding cheekbone, feeling how the bone seems to feel so prominently against his touch now when weeks before they were fuller.

Words could easily fool him, but the tone of his voice, heck even the younger's appearance before him completely says otherwise. He is _not_ okay. And that worries him. Wonho can clearly see it; he's lost weight and he's worn out from the obvious eye bags and paler skin.

"You're overworking yourself again," Wonho tells him sadly. "When was your last proper meal? Or when did you actually get proper sleep?" 

Hyungwon opens his mouth to answer but with that look the older gives him, he couldn't bring himself to lie—not even a simple white lie. So, he just stays quiet and drops his gaze, guiltily playing with the older's free hand.

"Love," Wonho calls tenderly as he lifts his chin to look back at him. "Please don't give me another reason to be worried about you. I don't want you to put yourself or anyone else in _that_ situation again. Don't scare us like that, please."

"I'm sorry..."

"Why?" Wonho asks this time, desperation evident in his voice yet they came out gentle. "Why would you do this to yourself knowing how worried we all get? Why would you still do it even when you know you're hurting yourself?"

Hyungwon stays silent for a long moment, trying to keep his bubbling feelings at bay as well as calm his breathing when he feels the slight constriction in his throat from the choked-up emotions. It doesn't help how Wonho looks at him with so much care and love even after putting him through so many hardships. It makes him feel small and vulnerable, and the guilt only doubles within him.

He stays silent until he finally replies, "It keeps me from feeling the pain especially when I'm by myself. When I'm too tired and too weak I don't have to think about anything because I can't—I physically and mentally can't because of how worn out I become. I know it's selfish, but I do it because it's my _only_ escape from this still painful reality."

* * *


	74. Chapter 74

* * *

Wonho subconsciously rubs his thumb over Hyungwon's hand that's on the table, looking at him endearingly all while the younger before him schemes through the menu once again to get another drink for the both of them to share while they wait for the others.

When Hyungwon looks up to ask the older a question Wonho could see the slightly surprised look in his eyes knowing he has been looking at him the whole time and the younger can't miss how loved-filled his eyes are. Hyungwon feels the tip of his ears heat up but he disregards it.

"Is Cappuccino smoothie alright with you?" Hyungwon asks. Wonho smiles and nods as a response.

Hyungwon closes the menu and gives it back to the waitress waiting by their table who, Hyungwon has noticed, been giving Wonho looks since she got to their table. Hyungwon unknowingly smirks slightly knowing that the older male's full attention is solely on him that he hadn't realized the waitress staring at him the whole time.

"One Cappuccino smoothie for _us_ , please," Hyungwon orders, making sure to emphasize on the word _'us'_. This brings the waitress's attention back to him. She gives him a deadpan look, writes down the order and walks away.

"We should ask someone to clean that drool on the floor."

"Huh?" Wonho questions. Hyungwon points to the spot where the waitress was standing.

"Clearly she couldn't keep her eyes off you." Wonho just shrugs, squeezing the younger's hand along the way.

"I couldn't tell."

"Of course not." Hyungwon snickers. "I don't think I'll be able to eat much after drinking this smoothie though."

"Love, we only had nachos before this and that too we shared one portion."

"I'm saving my stomach for the cake," Hyungwon exclaims eagerly. "Kihyun told me it's New York Cheesecake!" Wonho can't help but chuckle at the younger's enthusiasm for cake. He lifts the hand he is holding and places a light kiss on it before resting it back on the table.

"Tell me a fact about you," Hyungwon randomly inquires just as their drink gets served before them.

"A fact?"

"Yea, like something I don't know about you," he further explains before taking a sip of the drink. Hyungwon hums in satisfaction and pushes the drink closer to Wonho, bringing the straw to his lips. "This tastes amazing!"

Wonho leans in to drink it and agrees. "Thank you, love." Hyungwon nods and brings the drink back to him to take a few more, large, sips. "Hm... I'm not too sure if there are any interesting facts about me."

Hyungwon visibly pouts at this.

"Okay, okay I got one," Wonho says. "You're the first man I have ever dated."

"Wait—really?" Hyungwon's eyes undoubtedly widen at that that Wonho just chuckles at how adorable and utterly innocent he looks.

"Yes," he clarifies, taking the drink from Hyungwon to get his sip. "All my previous relationships were with women."

"Wow," Hyungwon breathes out staring up at him.

"I didn't think that was much of a shocker."

"Please, from the looks of it, it seems like you've dated several men before you met me," Hyungwon point black admits to him. "So, what made you change your mind—about women and well also about dating men?"

"Correction— _man_. I plan to date you and _only_ you," Wonho points out. Hyungwon's cheeks instantly flare up, heat rushing up to the tip of his ears.

"And I wouldn't say that you single-handedly changed my preference. Even before I met you, I told myself to be a little more open about my relationships when I was moving here. You just conveniently came into the picture at the right moment.

"I invested a decent amount of time on you because I was drawn to you. No matter how stubborn you were I just couldn't simply let you slip by—if there was a moment, a crack somewhere that I could momentarily sneak in and get close to you, I was willing to take that chance. And now that you're mine, I don't ever plan to let you go."

Wonho gives the younger a reassuring smile. "Or you could simply put it as I'm basically gay only for you," he bluntly adds.

Hyungwon is speechless, to say the least. He gulps a few times, not too sure with how to respond to that. His hands are fumbling for the drink in front of Wonho and he somehow manages to get a sip from it without spilling anything like a dumbfounded idiot. But the deep crimson shading over his cheeks does go noticed by the older and it has him grinning with pride at how he managed to get the younger flustered by his mere words.

"What about you, my love, any interesting facts about you for me to ponder over?" Wonho counters evident with amusement.

Hyungwon takes one large sip as he thought about something from his plain black and white life. He couldn't think of anything interesting about himself at the back of his head.

It takes him a good minute or so before his mind shifts to the most unexpected fact about his life that only Minhyuk—and _Kihyun_ —knows as of now. It's not that it was a huge secret, it's just Hyungwon didn't think it was an important topic to bring up. But it's worth a shot for now.

"Kihyun and I dated before," Hyungwon tells the older man straightforwardly.

Wonho instantly chokes on the smoothie. He goes into a fitful cough, wiping the tears with the back of his hand before staring wide eyes at younger in front of him. He sure didn't see this coming.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"How—What—When—HUH?!"

"We had a small, minuscular thing for each other in our first year of uni—that's where we met each other— so we just thought why not go on a few dates and see where this goes. And you can see how things ended for us."

"Something happened?"

"No, no nothing of that sort," Hyungwon quickly clears up then further explains, "For our first few dates we tried giving each other a chance and whatnot but God was that a disaster. We tried holding hands or you know doing other couple-y things, but we would always end up in a fit of laughter.

"There was this one time where we even tried to kiss but he straight out shoved me away to the sofa at the last second. We ended it on good terms after that with mutual understanding that we are just simply not meant to be. The feelings died down after that."

Wonho is dumbfounded at this point, mouth gaping and eyes big and round. All he can do is stare at him and blink several times thinking about how Hyungwon and Kihyun were _almost_ a thing. _How would that pair even look like?_ Wonho shudders at the thought.

Just when he was about to comment his thought the older's gaze shifts to the back of the younger and he sees a familiar figure walking towards their table. Timing really is impeccable.

"Hey guys!" Kihyun greets with a wide smile. "You're here early. Aren't we supposed to meet up at seven? It's only six forty."

"We came a couple of hours earlier for a mini date," Hyungwon tells him.

"Ah~ Okay, I really need to use the restroom. Be right back!" Kihyun rambles as he drops his coat on the chair right beside Hyungwon before dashing off.

"Love," Wonho deadpans just as Kihyun is out of sight. Hyungwon hums and looks up at Wonho. "Sit here," Wonho motions to the seat beside him. Hyungwon tilts his head slightly in confusion.

"What's wrong with where I'm seating?"

Wonho gives him a dark glance as he adamantly gestures to the unoccupied seat next to him. That's when Hyungwon gets it. He snickers as he gets up and voluntarily takes the seat just beside Wonho. Once he has seated the older drags the chair impossibly close to his so that their thighs are touching before he takes the other hand, lifts Hyungwon's chin up and presses a firm kiss onto his plush lips. 

Hyungwon gasps but doesn't complain at the sudden attack. He does kiss back with the same intensity but pulls away in time before they get into a full-blown make-out session which is likely possible. Wonho does smirk when he sees the younger's thick lips parted and slightly swollen, and this is enough satisfaction for him.

"I didn't think you'd be jealous because of that too."

"First this Jung Hoseok now Yoo Kihyun? Fuck, I really need to step my game up, don't I? And I can't keep my guard down," Wonho whines.

Hyungwon chuckles at that. "All these competitions are just in your head, sweetheart," he says with a playful eye roll. Wonho grunts then resort to finishing their smoothie all while a hand is placed on Hyungwon's thigh.

"Weren't you sitting next to me before?" Kihyun asks when he's back moments later as he takes his seat. Wonho's hand instinctively squeezes Hyungwon's thigh lightly as he mindlessly continues to sip on the smoothie. Hyungwon just shrugs.

The three of them soon settle on a comfortable conversation, with Wonho of course occasionally "accidentally" throwing daggers at Kihyun when he gets a little too touchy with Hyungwon. Other than that, the evening was relaxed until Shownu arrives. The older male takes a seat beside Kihyun and politely greets everyone around the table.

"What about Jooheon and Changkyun?" Kihyun asks. It is already seven and the two males have yet to arrive.

"Jooheon just called and told me he's on the way with Changkyun."

Hyungwon's body involuntarily stiffens at the mere mention that Jooheon is with Changkyun. He does not like that idea one bit and if it wasn't for the fact that they are in a restaurant waiting to celebrate Shownu's birthday, Hyungwon would've yelled over the phone at Jooheon, pestering him every moment until Changkyun is back in his arms, safely.

* * *


	75. Chapter 75

* * *

**Ki🐹**

**Ki🐹:**  
hello buddy ol' pal  
my partner in crime  
my bestest bff in the world

 **Hyungwon:**  
do i need to block you again...?

 **Ki🐹:**  
nothing of that sort  
young flexer is not here for the moment🤙

 **Hyungwon:**  
brb...

 **Ki🐹:**  
no  
no  
no  
No  
don't block me  
i have a theory so hear me out

 **Hyungwon:**  
❓❔

 **Ki🐹:**  
so i have came up with 2 possible theories

 **Hyungwon:**  
what is this regarding

 **Ki🐹** :  
why wonho looked like he was about to slice me up into pieces a few nights ago

 **Hyungwon:**  
my baby wouldn't slice you up into pieces

 **Ki🐹:**  
you sure about that? those stares said otherwise

 **Hyungwon:**  
he would torture you and silently witness your pain 🙂

 **Ki🐹:**  
what😰

 **Hyungwon:**  
dont worry kihyunnie i will be there beside him🙂 witnessing🙂

 **Ki🐹:**  
you both are fucking sadistic

 **Hyungwon:**  
🙂🙂🙂

 **Ki🐹:**  
first theory: i said something to upset him  
but that theory has no plausible evidence because i'm fairly kind

 **Hyungwon:**  
that's highly debatable

 **Ki🐹:**  
guck you

 **Hyungwon:**  
is that a fancy way to say fuck you?

 **Ki🐹:**  
😑  
2nd theory: he found out that i was the one that finished his last ramen even after sticking a post-it note saying not to take it

 **Hyungwon:**  
wAit 

**Ki🐹:**  
😗

 **Hyungwon:**  
that bastard was you??

 **Ki🐹:**  
😬✌

 **Hyungwon:**  
he dragged me all the way to a convenience store at fucking 1 am just so he could satisfy his ramen craving

 **Ki🐹:**  
anyways👋  
i can't possibly think of anything else

 **Hyungwon:**  
that idiot was jealous nothing too serious  
besides i'm sure he's fine with you now  
it's just a little jealousy

 **Ki🐹:**  
you know how the song goes :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
let's get closer, let's fill this gap between us?

 **Ki🐹:**  
that's the bridge part

 **Hyungwon:**  
ah!  
the way you look at someone other than me

 **Ki🐹:**  
you remember😌  
but what's there to be jealous about?

 **Hyungwon:**  
ikr i don't understand what's there to be jealous about you

 **Ki🐹:**  
I—

 **Hyungwon:**  
😂😂😂

 **Ki🐹:**  
wait a minute did he find out that you and i were a thing? was that why?

 **Hyungwon:**  
bingo😉

 **Ki🐹:**  
geez no wonder he wouldn't remove his hand from your thigh the whole night and that's probably also why you switched places to sit next to him

 **Hyungwon:**  
yes yes he's possessive and jealous  
which i think is highly unnecessary considering the number of girls that drool over him just by seeing his body and it doesn't help that he likes to wear tank tops and shorts everywhere!  
fuck it is so tempting to gauge all their eyes out

 **Ki🐹:**  
why don't you get a sign that reads _"my man"_ next time   
it saves the trouble and there will be no blood shed

 **Hyungwon:**  
perhaps i will  
also will you be home after work?   
i need to collect those boxes for changkyun   
he wants me to bring them over tomorrow

 **Ki🐹:**  
yea I'll be home

 **Hyungwon:**  
alright then see you later

* * *

**Bunny♥**

**Hyungwon:**  
i know who ate your last ramen

 **Bunny♥:**  
and how do you know such classified info🤔

 **Hyungwon:**  
the culprit admitted it himself

 **Bunny♥:**  
who might this thief be

 **Hyungwon:**  
a gentleman that goes by the name Yoo Kihyun  
he seems dangerous but he's merely a threat   
cooking is his strength  
height is his weakness

 **Bunny♥:**  
noted❤

* * *

**KiKi**

**Wonho:**  
Thou Theif!  
how dare thou steal mine last ramen!

 **KiKi:**  
you know you could be like normal people and just say that you knew i took that last ramen  
also fuck hyungwon for being a snitcher

* * *


	76. Chapter 76

* * *

** Bunny♥ **

**Bunny♥:  
** good evening love  
 _Delivered✔_ _✔_   
**.  
.  
.  
** _Read✔_ _✔_ **  
**

**Hyungwon:**  
hey  
sorry i just got back from a meeting my dad

 **Bunny♥:  
** how did it go?

 **Hyungwon:**  
horrible :(  
he wasn't satisfied with the proposal i made so guess who has extra hours after work the coming week 🙂🙂🙂

 **Bunny♥:  
** oh no 

**Hyungwon:**  
it's nothing new don't worry

 **Bunny♥:**  
love, i know you so this is not very much reassuring  
and working extra hours? that sounds hardly fair and a little harsh

 **Hyungwon:**  
it is fair when you consider my position and the fact that i'm his son  
i'll be his next successor for his company in a few years so of course he wants to make sure i'm fit when i take over

 **Bunny♥:  
** i'm sorry my love i wish there was something i could do

 **Hyungwon:**  
it's alright hoseok

 **Bunny♥:  
** does that mean you'll be staying late tonight?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i won't be staying too late today because i need to bring over a few things for changkyun so i'll probably leave around 5  
  


 **Bunny♥:**  
if that's the case then how about swinging by my office just before you meet changkyun?  
we could go somewhere after to wind down a little   
i know you've been pretty beat lately

 **Hyungwon:  
** that sounds nice  
i'll drive over than  
should i wait for you in the lobby or...?

 **Bunny♥:**  
or you could come up to my office :))

 **Hyungwon:  
** **😲** i finally get to see your office today

 **Bunny♥:  
** hahahaha yours is definitely better than mine trust me

 **Hyungwon:**  
i envision some sort of coffee machine at the corner with a variety of coffee pods and a sofa and pillows and a really comfy carpet  
for some reason i envisioned an ivory-colored carpet🤷‍♂️  
oh and a really pretty view of the city!!

 **Bunny♥:  
** sure baby let those visions thrive in your imagination 😌

* * *


	77. Chapter 77

* * *

Once Hyungwon reaches the designated floor, he exits the elevator and checks the list of offices on this specific floor. He does see Wonho's name listed on the list and so he follows the sign to the end of the floor to where a desk is situated right outside a huge door.

"Is this Lee Hoseok's office?" he asks the lady at the desk right outside the door. The assistant—he presumes—snaps her head up and nods fervently. "May I see him for a moment?" The lady's eyes widen almost immediately which is not likely a reaction he thought he would get.

"Mr—Mr Lee doesn't allow unexpected guests or clients to show up unexpectedly unless they made an appointment prior to the visit. Do you have an—an appointment, sir?" Hyungwon gives her an odd look as to how nervous she seems. She tripping on her words and Hyungwon can see how tight she's holding the pen in her hand.

"No...?" Hyungwon answers. "You can just tell him _Chae Hyungwon_ is here to see him." The lady gives him a skeptical look. It's clear she doesn't believe the mere words he just said. Hyungwon urges her to make the call and ask him. She hesitates but makes the call through the intercom in the end which seems like something she really dreads making.

"Yes, Mrs. Kim?" a monotonous voice booms through the intercom and if Hyungwon didn't know any better he wouldn't have thought for a second that it was Wonho—the same sweet Wonho on the other line. A shiver did runs down his spine at how stern and authoritative he sounds. It almost intrigues him to know how the older truly is around his office to have his assistant this intimidated by him.

"Mr. Chae Hyungwon (?) said he—he's here to—to see you," she stutters out unsurely.

"Let him in." 

The secretary instantly presses the button and ushers him to the large door. Hyungwon thanks the lady and enters the door without much in mind.

As soon as the sound of footsteps is heard entering his office, Wonho's head lifts up and a smile automatically graces upon his features. It completely contrasts from what Hyungwon had heard over the intercom moments before. The smile before him is simply radiating, bright and heart-warming that it is almost impossible not to smile back.

Wonho gets out of his seat and makes him way over the younger who seems a little lost in his gaze upon him. He offers open arms and Hyungwon gladly receives them, hugging him tight snuggling into his comfort and craving his warmth.

"Hey, I missed you," Wonho says against the younger's hair, planting a kiss on top of it.

"I—I missed you too," the younger admits quietly, cheeks already flaring red from the shyness. Wonho guides him over to the couch just beside his desk and they both settle comfortably there. Wonho has an arm lightly around his waist. Hyungwon looks around the office and when he spots something by the corner of his office his face beams.

"Hah! You do have a coffee maker!" Hyungwon proudly exclaims, pointing to the machine at the corner. "Although, I'm pretty disappointed about the color of the carpet," Hyungwon inputs, scuffing his shoes against the material beneath his feet.

"An ivory-colored carpet would require high maintenance," Wonho tells him. 

"Every pretty thing requires high maintenance," he states as-a-matter-of-factly. Wonho chuckles as he leans over to nuzzle his nose against the nape of the younger's neck.

"Such as yourself, my love."

"I wouldn't deny that," Hyungwon confidently says. Wonho has to physically control himself not to kiss the younger right there on his office couch because he knows he wouldn't be able to stop himself from going into a full-blown make-out session if he starts. Instead, he resorts to placing butterfly kisses along his neck.

"I never would've thought that you would be _this_ ruthless at work," Hyungwon says as he makes himself comfortable in the older's arms.

"I told you before, my love, I can be a very mean person if I want to. This facade is so that people don't step on me and take advantage of my kindness."

"But you were fairly open about your kindness with me," Hyungwon prompts. 

"Well, how was I suppose to win your heart by being cold?"

"I prefer the sweet Hoseok," Hyungwon clarifies squishing himself against the larger male.

"Don't worry love, I will always treat you well." Wonho kisses his temple and snuggles him closer. Hyungwon sighs in content when his head finally rests on the older's sturdy shoulder.

"I think I can fall asleep peacefully like this." Wonho strokes through his hair with a sad smile etched. He knows how hard the younger has been working and of course, he notices how tired he is but it's against Wonho to stop him or to even have him take a few breaks because Hyungwon is just plain stubborn. 

"Meeting my dad doesn't seem to get any easier every time. Should I just retire and become a model for your company?" Hyungwon mutters, on the verge of passing out.

"You could work under me. I would be honored to have—" He stops his sentence halfway when he hears a gentle snore elicited by the younger. He lowers his head and smiles seeing the younger sleeping so peacefully. He plants a gentle kiss on his forehead before helping the younger to lay down comfortably on the couch before he goes to finish his work.

▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁

"So, we're going to Changkyun's first, right?" Wonho confirms in Hyungwon's car. It took Wonho about an hour or so to complete the things he needed to do before he went to wake up the younger which he had no heart to do so considering how he looked like he was finally getting decent sleep in a while.

"Yeap. I'm going to drop off these boxes," Hyungwon tells him as he nudges to the many boxes at the back seat plus a few extras in the boot of his car. Wonho turns to look over at his shoulder and gawks at the number of boxes behind there.

"Why would Changkyun need these many boxes?"

"He's found a place of his own so he's moving out of his parents' place," Hyungwon explains. The youngest of the group wanted to feel a sense of independence and he thought why not start by living on his own.

"You did say that you and Changkyun were neighbors before, right?" Hyungwon hums to agree with the statement.

"When we first moved to Seoul about ten years ago this neighborhood was the first neighborhood we moved into. And I still remembered how small Changkyun was when he first ran out of his house and gawked at the moving trucks parked outside our house. Little Changkyunnie wanted to help with the moving," he says with a snicker, a smile forming on his lips at that very memory.

"He must've been about nine then? You've basically watched him grow."

"Yea, that's why—" Hyungwon immediately stops his car pressing hard on the break just as Changkyun's house comes into view. 

"Hyungwon?" Wonho questions at the sudden stop.

Hyungwon leans in closer to look and of course, he can make out the figure on the right—it is Changkyun, but the figure right in front of him is what has Hyungwon dribbling with anger. His hands clench the steering wheels tight and Wonho notices how worked up the younger looks so, he averts his attention to whatever he was staring at. 

Jooheon.

"Please tell me that's not—That fucker!" Hyungwon screams, hitting the steering wheel in seething anger when he sees Jooheon leaning in to _kiss_ Changkyun. Oh, Hyungwon loses it.

"Hyungwon—" the older tries to calm him down but by the time he turns to him, the younger is already out of the car, stalking towards the oblivious couple by the porch.

"Hyungwon wait!" he shouts as he runs after him. Upon the mention of the younger's name, the couple both detach from each other with a much horrid look on their faces.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing!"

And all hell breaks loose after that.

* * *


	78. Chapter 78

* * *

** Ki🐹 **

**Ki🐹:**  
what the fuck hyungwon why would you do that

 **Hyungwon:**  
i dont regret it

 **Ki🐹:**  
you don't regret it oh really?  
you dislocated his jaw for christ's sake!

 **Hyungwon:**  
i could've done more if hoseok didn't stop me that idiot

 **Ki🐹:**  
that was really uncalled for hyungwon  
you could've settled it in another better way

 **Hyungwon:**  
well that fucker can't seem to get it into his head that i don't like him anywhere near changkyun  
and look at them now  
fuck!

 **Ki🐹:**  
why do you have so much anger towards jooheon

 **Hyungwon:**  
he's a fucking dickhead

 **Ki🐹:**  
goddamit hyungwon make me understand and not just throw profanities at him  
i know it's about minhyuk but he's not here anymore

 **Hyungwon:**  
i don't need a fucking reminder that he isn't here anymore

 **Ki🐹:**  
okok let's just stop for a moment  
where are you

 **Hyungwon:**  
home

 **Ki🐹:**  
listen hyungwon  
it's not healthy to be this grudge-filled towards someone plus the recent events none of these pent up emotions are healthy at all

 **Hyungwon:**  
maybe i just don't care anymore kihyun have you ever thought about that

 **Ki🐹:**  
but i do  
i care so fucking much for you and i'm always so fucking worried about you

 **Hyungwon:**  
then stop worrying  
fuck kihyun i never asked you or anyone else to be worried for me  
if i'm so much so a burden that i keep making you worried every damn time then just stop  
no one's asking you to do so

 **Ki🐹:**  
hyungwon you know that's not what i mean

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm tired kihyun

 **Ki🐹:**  
hyungwon come on  
hyungwon?  
 _Delivered✔✔_

* * *

** I.M. Kyun🐺 **

**I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
hyung please i'm really sorry

 **Hyungwon:**  
you lied to me changkyun 

**I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
i didn't mean to hyung

  
 **Hyungwon:**  
how could you

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
i was planning to tell you hyung i swear but the timing it was never right

 **Hyungwon:**  
how long

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
what do you mean hyung?

 **Hyungwon:**  
you and jooheon  
how long

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
hyung...

 **Hyungwon:**  
i asked a question changkyun

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
please don't be mad hyung

 **Hyungwon:**  
i don't believe that's the answer

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
3

 **Hyungwon:**  
days?  
weeks?

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
months...

 **Hyungwon:**  
oh

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
i'm really sorry hyung  
 _Read✔✔_

* * *

** Jooheon **

**Jooheon:**  
changkyun did nothing wrong

 **Hyungwon:**  
i know he didn't   
it's all you

 **Jooheon:**  
stop being a dick

 **Hyungwon:**  
last time i checked i do not take orders from fucktards

 **Jooheon:**  
seriously what is your problem

 **Hyungwon:**  
i thought it was crystal clear that _you_ are my problem  
i dont like you one bit and yhe fact that the both of you are together makes everything a whole lot worse

 **Jooheon:**  
you're unbelievable and so selfish  
i don't even know what minhyuk saw in you

 **Hyungwon:**  
like i give two flying fucks to what you think

* * *


	79. Chapter 79

* * *

** Bunny♥ **

**Bunny♥:**  
baby

 **Hyungwon:**  
if you're here to tell me that i've crossed the line or i'm stubborn than save it

 **Bunny♥:  
** that's not why i'm here

 **Hyungwon:**  
oh  
what is it then

 **Bunny♥:  
** how are you feeling

 **Hyungwon:**  
great!  
i finished a draft for the next meeting and i'm halfway done rewriting the proposal

 **Bunny♥:  
** baby that's not what i meant

 **Hyungwon:**  
oh

 **Bunny♥:  
** emotionally how are you

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'd rather not dwell in that

 **Bunny♥:  
** it's not good to keep everything in

 **Hyungwon:**  
so i've been told  
tell me something i don't know

 **Bunny♥:  
** turtles can breathe through their butts  
bet you didn't know that

 **Hyungwon:**  
erm what  
shit i choked on my spit

 **Bunny♥:  
** it's true

 **Hyungwon:**  
and why do you know this...

 **Bunny♥:  
** i watched a little too much of Matthew Santoro's videos🤷‍♂️

 **Hyungwon:**  
dork

 **Bunny♥:  
** you're dating this dork

 **Hyungwon:**  
:)

 **Bunny♥:  
** i hope i got you smiling a little

 **Hyungwon:**  
a millimeter

 **Bunny♥:  
** it is still something :)  
but love i just wanna say one thing  
maybe it is not so bad that changkyun is with jooheon  
like i said he needs some companion closer to his age group and it so happens jooheon is that person

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm not opposed with the idea of changkyun dating as long as he's dating a good person

 **Bunny♥:  
** and you have reasons to believe that jooheon's not a good guy

 **Hyungwon:**  
yes   
look i know you think i'm being irrational about all this and i know i'm being a dickhead  
but if being a dickhead is what it'll take to keep changkyun away from jooheon then i'll be the biggest dickhead

 **Bunny♥:  
** i don't think you're being a dickhead

 **Hyungwon:**  
you don't have to agree with me just because you're my boyfriend

 **Bunny♥:  
** you see my love, i think for myself and i do not side with people just because they're someone close to me  
i know you hyungwon and i know you don't make rash or irrational decisions about anything except maybe your health but that's a different story  
when it comes to other people i know you have your reasons  
so i believe you  
whatever reasons you have i believe you

 **Hyungwon:**  
you're not going to fight to know why?

 **Bunny♥:  
** i've learnt that with time everything will reveal itself slowly  
so until then i will wait and trust you

 **Hyungwon:**  
wow

 **Bunny♥:  
** something wrong, my love?

 **Hyungwon:**  
no no it's just  
idk i didn't expect anyone to be this understanding

 **Bunny♥:  
** i will always be by your side if i genuinely think you're making the right decisions

 **Hyungwon:**  
i only want to protect changkyun

 **Bunny♥:  
** and i understand that  
i know you only ever want what's best for changkyun

 **Hyungwon:**  
thank you hoseok

 **Bunny♥:  
** always love❤  
also i just need to bring this up  
you dislocated his jaw i heard

 **Hyungwon:**  
a black eye or maybe even a broken nose could've been added into the list if _someone_ didn't hold me back

 **Bunny♥:  
** love, he didn't even seem like he wanted to fight back after getting that huge shock

 **Hyungwon:**  
but that fucker truly deserved it

 **Bunny♥:  
** i'm not too sure to what extend i can agree with you on that but just try to calm yourself down okay?  
when everything's cooled down then i think it is best that all 3 of you have a talk without getting physical

 **Hyungwon:**  
🙄

 **Bunny♥:  
** i'm serious hyungwon i don't want anyone of you with a dislocated _anything_

 **Hyungwon:  
** fine fine

 **Bunny♥:  
** that's my baby :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
:p

* * *


	80. Chapter 80

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
i don't think i can admit this to anyone not even to hoseok because i know how disappointed he will be at me  
i think i might've overdone it again  
it's starting to hurt minhyuk  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
i need you  
i never i knew i needed you the most at moments like this  
what do i do minhyuk?  
i feel so lost  
i feel like all i'm doing isn't enough to rectify anything  
i fought with kihyun, i've upset changkyun, i'm disappointing hoseok, i can't seem to get my work done right  
 _Sent✔_  
.  
.  
.  
am i hitting another rock bottom? is this what it is?  
honestly minhyuk idk how much longer i can stand this  
i promised you i will hang in there for the both of us but now if i were to give up would you be mad at me?  
at least i tried that's what matters right?  
 _Sent✔_

* * *

  
  
  



	81. Chapter 81

* * *

** Joo🍯 **

**Changkyun:**  
hyung  
where r u?

 **Joo🍯:**  
i'll be out for a while changkyunnie don't worry

 **Changkyun:**  
but where r u going hyung?  
you just left once i slept off

 **Joo🍯:**  
i'm going to get the choco milk you wanted

 **Changkyun:**  
hyung... ur a terrible liar  
you got me those yesterday

 **Joo🍯:**  
oh right😅 

**Changkyun:**  
where r you really hyung?

 **Joo🍯:**  
i'm going over to hyungwon's place

 **Changkyun:**  
what why?  
did he call you over

 **Joo🍯:**  
no

 **Changkyun:**  
hyung i don't think it's a good idea

 **Joo🍯:**  
changkyunnie i get that you don't trust the both of us to be together in one space alone but i'm just going over to talk to him

 **Changkyun:**  
and that's exactly why i'm worried  
hyungwon hyung already hates you as it is i don't think the 'talking' will be done calmly at all

 **Joo🍯:**  
i promise we won't get physical

 **Changkyun:**  
take me with you hyung  
it'll be better if i'm there too

 **Joo🍯:**  
no changkyun i got this  
i just need to settle some things with him   
and i know how upset you've been since the confrontation and it's not okay

 **Changkyun:**  
he's just really worried about me and i get that  
please don't be too hard on him hyung

 **Joo🍯:**  
i'll talk to you later ok?

 **Changkyun:**  
okay...

* * *


	82. Chapter 82

* * *

Hyungwon is tired—not just emotionally but physically. You'd think that the incident before was the final straw, everyone thought so too, but this—this might just be it for him. He's working on default as of now just waiting for the moment his body will just give up and he collapses into the void. He couldn't do anything about his aching body and spinning head, but he keeps going. 

That is until a loud banging is heard at his front door. Hyungwon groans in annoyance accompanied by waves of pain. He already has to deal with this migraine and on top of that he has to entertain this uninvited guest who he presumes isn't going to be easy to deal with considering how hard they're banging on his door.

Hyungwon drags his entire body out of his office and to the front door. Oh, how he wishes he hadn't done so when he comes face to face with the person he least wanted to see.

Lee Jooheon.

"What is your problem?" Jooheon straight out snaps at him. Hyungwon lets out a loud grunt and glares at him.

"What? Who did I offend now," he asks sarcastically with an eye roll, having a tight grip on his door to steady himself.

"Seriously fuck you," Jooheon says then shoves Hyungwon into the house. Hyungwon noticeably stumbles back from the force which didn't defend well with his weak body. Fortunately, he manages to hold onto a table nearby to steady himself once again. But all this goes unnoticed by the seething vexation clouding Jooheon's eyes.

"You know even if you hate me, the least you could do was be happy for Changkyun."

"You want me to be happy that he's dating you? Never," Hyungwon retorts sharply.

"You are so unbelievably selfish, you know that? Just because you're not happy doesn't mean people around you should be grieving as well!"

Hyungwon lets out a dry laugh as he tries his best to stand up straight. He leans a good portion of his body against the table with one hand still holding onto the smooth surface for extra support because really, he didn't trust his whole body not to give out any moment. 

"Selfish? Don't go preaching to me about being selfish when you're the exact same, you fucking hypocrite!" he ripostes.

"What are you crapping about now?"

"Who was the one being selfish with Minhyuk, huh? For Christ's sake Jooheon can you stop just for once with this innocent act! You disrespected _us_ especially Minhyuk." The younger's face contoured in slight discomfort as he tries to wrap his head around what was just said. 

"What? Cat got your tongue?" Hyungwon spits.

"What the fuck do you know," he suddenly growls. He fists Hyungwon's shirt and tugs at him, scowling deeply.

"I honestly don't know what you take me for. You can't expect me to be stupid when Minhyuk came crying to me after _you_ forced yourself on him at the party," Hyungwon point-blank tells him, voice teems with his own anger as the event of that very night comes back to him. Jooheon looks taken aback and Hyungwon takes this opportunity to shove Jooheon off him.

He remembers how out of place Minhyuk looked that night after coming back from the washroom after so long. How distraught he became whenever Hyungwon tried to touch him. And how could Hyungwon forget how hard his boyfriend— _ex-boyfriend_ cried not only that night but a few nights after that.

"I—I didn't—"

"You didn't what?" Hyungwon cuts him midway. Jooheon clearly looks shaken now. "Didn't touch him? Didn't kiss him? Didn't _almost_ rape him?" Jooheon stays silent. His lips in a tight line as he watches the male in front of him get closer with hooded eyes.

"Please do tell me which of the above you _did not_ do," he beckons with thick sarcasm dripping from his tongue.

"I almost had him!" Jooheon bursts out. "You think you can get anything and anyone just because of your stupid status. You think you're all that high and mighty, huh?"

"Are you even hearing yourself right now? You're so full of yourself. I did not win Minhyuk over with my money—" Hyungwon stops when a heavy migraine suddenly hits him. He instinctively brings his hand up to his temple and massages it a little to try and ease the pain, but of course, it never works. 

"He would've still been alive if he was with me," Jooheon says, punching the wall next to him but Hyungwon is too consumed in his pounding head to even catch his bearings.

"He's probably happy now he got to leave your arrogant ass. Maybe you actually did him a huge favor by pulling that plug. You saved him from his fucking misery."

"Shut up," Hyungwon grits when the migraine gets stronger. He shuts his eyes tight and whimpers in pain. And Jooheon sees past all that as he continues. 

"I've seen him cry multiple times because of you. You didn't deserve him the least bit. You brought nothing but unhappiness to him."

"Jooheon, fucking—shut—up."

"You killed him! You know it. You knew how unhappy he was because of your actions but you never stopped."

"I didn't kill him!" Hyungwon finally screams desperately. "I didn't—I cou—"

All his pent up emotions—the pain, anger, guilt, agony—all mixed into one dangerous turmoil now resurfaces. His visions start to get blurry and whatever Jooheon is throwing back at him are muffled, he couldn't make out a single word. Hyungwon tries to speak but even he doesn't know if actual sounds can be heard or if he's simply rambling gibberish at this point. Slowly, black spots blotch his visions as the pain seems to subside and so he doesn't try to fight it.

He doesn't know if Jooheon even notices his disorientated state. He couldn't even tell if he had fallen onto the floor. What he does know is his entire body feels light and he feels at peace. Finally.

* * *


	83. Chapter 83

* * *

** KiKi **

**KiKi:**  
wonho where are you

 **Wonho:**  
i just got to the gym  
about to do a quick session before i go over to hyungwon's  
it's been a while since i saw him so i thought i might bring him out for dinner  
what's up?

 **KiKi:  
** it's hyungwon...

 **Wonho:**  
is something wrong?  
did something happen to him?

 **KiKi:  
** he collapsed again 

**Wonho:**  
fuck wHat??/

 **KiKi:  
** can you go to his house now?  
jooheon's with him at the moment waiting for the doctor and i can only leave in the next hour or so

 **Wonho:**  
yea fuck  
oh FUck   
okok i'm on my way now

 **KiKi:**  
please let me know how he is when you get there  
fuck if only i can leave now

 **Wonho:  
** i will ki  


* * *

** Joohoney **

**Wonho:**  
jooheon how is he

 **Joohoney:  
** he's still unconscious  
the doctor just came, she's setting him up with the iv tube

 **Wonho:  
** is he injured? is he hurt in any way?

 **Joohoney:**  
he hit his head when he fell  
other than that he's just unconscious

 **Wonho:  
** what the fuck happened!  
  


 **Joohoney:  
** idk man i really don't  
i went over to talk to him and then he collapsed halfway just like that

* * *


	84. Chapter 84

* * *

Wonho hates this. It's been a little over three hours since he arrived at the younger's house but he still hasn't regained consciousness yet. The doctor told him it would take a while considering how weak his body has gotten. All he's been doing is sitting by Hyungwon's bedside with one of his hands holding tightly onto his. He would occasionally kiss the hand or sometimes gently play through his hair. But every time his eyes fall upon the younger's features—how pale and how thin he looked his eyes water.

 _If only_ he had been a little more persistent with him. _If only_ he had checked up on him more frequently. _If only_ he had gone out of his way to be stubborn with him.

Wonho's thumb grazes the protruding cheekbone with the doctor's words playing through his head. It was no doubt that he had collapsed due to an overload of stress both physically and emotionally and it caused an even bigger strain on his body that he wasn't eating or drinking enough the past week.

His lips tremble as a tear slips from his eyes thinking about all the younger must've gone through the past week to end up like this. 

"I'm sorry," Wonho whispers as he continues to caress his cheek.

"I love you so much," he confesses softly with more tears clouding his visions. "I promise. I'll try better next time. I'll take care of you better. I will not let this happen again. I promise..."

"Hey," Kihyun says, entering the bedroom. Wonho sniffs and looks up at his friend. He offers a wavery smile and Kihyun's heart sinks looking at both of them. He walks over to Wonho and the first thing he does is wipe his tears.

"He'll be okay," Kihyun reassures. "He just needs to rest."

"I should've been there for him, Ki," Wonho tells him guiltily. "I knew how hard he was working but—I didn't stop him."

"Hey, you've done all you could for him."

"If I did he wouldn't be laying here now," Wonho mutters, gaze sadly scanning the still laying male on the bed. Kihyun sighs as he rubs the older's back. He knows no words can truly comfort him until Hyungwon fully wakes up.

"You need to eat," Kihyun tells him after a while. "I've made something simple downstairs for everyone." Wonho shakes his head and he wipes the dried tears.

"I'll wait for him to wake up," Wonho says with persistence. "I can't—I won't have the appetite—not until he wakes up." Kihyun exhales and just nods.

" _Jooheon_ and I will be waiting downstairs." The older nods. Then Jooheon's name starts buzzing in his head with highly doubtful thoughts that he had pushed aside up until now. 

"Wait," Wonho calls Kihyun who's halfway out. Kihyun looks over his shoulder and enters in a bit. "Why was Jooheon here in the first place?" Wonho asks when he really thinks about it. 

The logistics didn't make sense to begin with. If anyone else had called to inform them about Hyungwon it wouldn't be questioned as much. The fact that _Jooheon_ —out of all people—was the one that made the call does raise suspicions for Wonho. 

As far as he knows Hyungwon wouldn't allow Jooheon to simply enter his house. And if he were to confront Jooheon about anything he was sure that Hyungwon would at least let him know. Jooheon had even blatantly stated that he went over to Hyungwon's place to talk which doesn't add up because if Hyungwon would've known about Jooheon's visit then he would've let him or at least Kihyun know prior to the confrontation. This further suggests that Jooheon went to Hyungwon's place _uninvited_. And this didn't settle well with Wonho if that really was what happened.

"Well, he—" Kihyun pauses for a moment and frowns, that's when he realizes the unusual situation. "I don't know honestly. I didn't think to question why Jooheon was the one calling me at that moment. I was too worried about Hyungwon. Now that you mentioned it, he has no reason to be here unless Hyungwon himself invited him but that's highly doubtful."

Wonho huffs when he can't seem to put two and two together and so he eventually he dismisses it. Maybe he's overthinking this. He tells Kihyun that it's alright and the smaller male leaves the room to head back downstairs.

Wonho's full attention is back on the unconscious male once again when he feels a faint squeeze on his hand that jolts him. He sees Hyungwon's body shakes a little and his face scrunches up like he's feeling some sort of discomfort.

"Love?" Seconds later the younger whimpers in pain and tears leak from his closed eyes which alarms the older. "Hey, what's wrong?" Wonho asks worriedly. He moves closer and wipes the tears away. "Shhh~ It's okay. It'll be okay," Wonho coos into the younger's ear while his other free hand gently combs through his hair to calm him down.

Hyungwon slowly opens his eyes as more tears flow down. His eyes seem to be on the older yet Wonho can see that he's not fully here. He's lost in some kind of daze.

"Minhy—hurts," he cries, squeezing the hand Wonho is holding.

"I know, love," Wonho tells him sadly. He feels so useless as the younger cries in pain while all he can do is sit there and watch him. Hyungwon tries to get up in a rush but Wonho stops him. "Slowly, my love." He guides the younger to rest his upper half against the headrest. Hyungwon doesn't stop crying. His clutch on the older's hand only tightens as his sobs get painfully louder.

"Wh—Where does it hurt, baby? Please tell me," Wonho asks him as he himself tries to keep it together. He lifts the younger's chin to look up at him. Hyungwon's bloodshot gaze settles on his. He's looking right at him but Wonho sees how desperate his eyes are searching for something else in his own brown orbs. Or perhaps, _someone_ else.

"Min—Minhyuk..." 

And Wonho's heart plummets. But he doesn't let go. Hyungwon has more to say and so Wonho lets him by staying quiet. Hyungwon's tears never seem to stop. His eyes are so red and swollen, so are his lips.

"He—He wouldn't leave because of me, right?" Hyungwon asks and it doesn't seem like the question is directed at Wonho, more so he is asking anyone who was listening.

"I n—need to tell him I'm sorry. Please—I need to!" Hyungwon starts trashing in Wonho's hold but the grip only tightens to hold him still.

"Hyungwon stop," Wonho raises his voice strictly. The younger stops and his wretched gaze just stays on the older; he looks lost and broken. "You did nothing wrong for you to apologize. Why would you think Minhyuk would leave because of you?" he asks gently, trying to be as tender as he could with the fragile male.

"But—Jooheon—he—no—I didn't kill him!" Hyungwon now screams. "I didn't kill him! I didn't kill him! Jooheon—Jooheon's wrong! I didn't—I swear—He—I—I was difficult—Minhyukkie—Minhyukkie still _loves_ me. Minhyukkie loves me. He tells me he loves me—He—He wouldn't lie—He—"

Wonho couldn't bear to hear anymore. Every single word, every plea the younger gives is so heartwrenching. He brings Hyungwon into his arms where he instantly clings onto him. He convulses in the older's arms, trembling so bad that Wonho has to squeeze him tight to try and at least calm his shaking body. He then leans in and proceeds to whisper sweet nothings to the whimpering male. He doesn't know if Hyungwon even registers any of these words but it was worth a shot.

His mind races with despair at how grieve-ridden the younger is, however his burning rage at the back of his head only further fuels at each painful sobs being elicited by the younger in his arms. He knows this started with Jooheon. Whatever Jooheon said clearly triggered something in Hyungwon to wake up hysterical like this.

Wonho—someone with patience and compassion— has never felt so much anger in him before. But now his mind buzzes, he sees red and his fists start to clench and unclench as a means to control himself for now in front of Hyungwon. He swears he will fucking murder Lee Jooheon.

* * *


	85. Chapter 85

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

_Missed call at 19:23_

_Missed call at 19:30_

_Missed call at 19:37_

**Hyungwon:**  
minhyuk you don't hate me right?  
i know i am awful to you  
i know i don't deserve you  
but i promise i will love you so much better  
 _Sent✔, 19:47_

_Missed call at 19:49_

**Hyungwon:**  
i didn't do it  
jooheon is lying isn't he  
do you really go to him when you're sad?  
i'm so sorry  
i didn't mean to make you upset  
is thag why you're not answering my calls?  
i can make it up to you  
i can buy you your favorite mango ice cream  
there's even a cafe nearby i can get you an iced latte if you don't want ice cream  
or it could be anything else you want  
just name it and i'll get it  
 _Sent✔, 20:04_

_Missed call at 20:10_

_Missed call at 20:12_

  
**Hyungwon:**  
please give me another chance to prove myself  
i can be better i swear  
i won't stay back at the office for too long  
i will give you as many kisses as you want and we can cuddle all day even  
i will come to every single one of your art shows  
we can even get a pet cat even though i told you no before  
see minhyukkie i can be better fpr you  
 _Sent✔, 20:16_

_Missed call at 20:16_

**Hyungwon:**  
please tell me where you are  
i need you  
you mean so much to me i dont understand why ppl can't see that  
all they see is a workaholic who doesn't know how tl love his fiance properly  
but you knkw i love you, right?  
please don't leave me like this  
 _Sent✔, 20:20_

_Missed call at 20:22_

* * *


	86. Chapter 86

* * *

"Hyung!"

"Changkyun?" Jooheon questions when the least expected person walks through the door.

"Changkyunnie's here?" Kihyun asks once he heard the youngest's voice. He peers from the door and gives him a small smile before returning into the kitchen. The youngest immediately runs to Jooheon's arms and hugs him tight, burying his head into his chest for comfort after what he was told about Hyungwon's condition.

"W—What are you doing here?" Jooheon asks, completely taken aback by his presence. His gaze then shifts to Shownu who enters moments later closing the door behind him. His brows lift questioningly at the older.

"He begged me to bring him here after I was done with work," Shownu tells him with a shrug then makes his way into the kitchen to see if Kihyun needs any help.

"You should've told me you were coming, Changkyun," Jooheon tells him tightly. Changkyun frowns, looking up at his boyfriend's sudden tense mood. Changkyun then notices how Jooheon never hugged him back. His hands are instead staying limp on his side and his body is oddly stiff. The youngest however simply didn't want to take these little actions into serious account and just mindlessly dismiss it.

"Is it that serious?" Changkyun worriedly queries him. "How is he? Is he awake yet?"

"Wonho is upstairs with him." Changkyun nods and buries his head back into the older's chest. He had been so worried about two of them when Jooheon didn't text him back. He had only learned hours later that Hyungwon had collapsed and too from _Kihyun_ , not Jooheon who had ignored every single one of his texts and calls.

"Have you eaten, Changkyunnie?" Kihyun asks, walking towards the couple. The youngest moves away and shakes his head. "Come on, I made some food." Kihyun brings the youngest into the kitchen with him, leaving Jooheon all by himself by the living room again.

He groans in frustration, running his hands roughly through his freshly bleached hair. Things were already a mess as it is and now with Changkyun here, he feels like he's about to fulminate with this mess he's gotten himself into. He doesn't know how he's going to explain all these things to him. Hell, he doesn't even know where to begin.

His mental rant is cut short when he hears heavy footsteps making their way down the stairs. Jooheon's head turns to see Wonho coming down and straight towards him with a strange demeanor on his face, an expression he has never seen the older wear before.

"Hey Wonho hyung! How i—" 

He didn't get to finish his words when the older startles him by shoving him against the wall. "What the hell, Wonho!" Jooheon shouts.

"What the fuck did you say to _him_?" Wonho sneers. A shiver runs down Jooheon's spine at how venomous his tone sounds. He sure has never witnessed the older _this_ angry before.

"I didn't say anything," Jooheon defensively says, tone lowered slightly. This infuriates the older male even more, shoving him again against the concrete wall, fists clench much tighter on his shirt.

"Don't fuck with me!"

"What the hell is going on?" Kihyun questions, coming out from the kitchen when he hears the sudden shouting followed by Shownu and Changkyun behind him. Changkyun gasps when he sees the scene before him; Jooheon pinned against the wall by Wonho.

"Hyung, what are you doing!" Changkyun yelps, running to them, but Kihyun holds him back. Wonho disregards their presence when his burning anger focuses red at the male right in front of him.

"What did you say to him? He's lost in a daze right now."

"Wait, he's awake?" Kihyun prompts as he steps closer to the both of them. 

"Yea and this fucker did something. Now he's hysterical and he keeps saying Minhyuk's name over and over again. I've managed to calm him down so he's sleeping now but you—" his full rage attention back on Jooheon. "—spit it."

"We were _just_ talking," Jooheon exasperated as he tries to pry himself off the tight grip.

"Bulltshit. I don't think you guys were _just_ talking," Wonho tells him, pressing him harder against the wall.

"Just tell him what you said, hyung," Changkyun coaxes timidly, fearing for his boyfriend's wellbeing.

"There's no point hiding it if it's really nothing, Jooheon," Shownu speaks up.

"I don't understand why are you all ganging up on me. You really think I did something?" he huffs, eyeing everyone with disbelief.

"Yes, I do," Wonho answers. "You were the last one with him."

"Unbelievable!" he exclaims. "Seriously guys?" he asks everyone else but Wonho.

"Just tell us, Jooheon," Shownu beseeches with him.

"So, you're going to believe this dipshit over me? Even the doctor said he passed out due to stress. And now just because _this guy_ is accusing me suddenly you are all suspecting that I actually did something?"

"Waking up hysterical while calling Minhyuk's name is not normal!" Wonho fights back, roaring with anger. "Goddamit Jooheon stop being so difficult."

"If you really didn't do anything then just say it. I don't get why you can't tell us why you came here to talk to Hyungwon in the first place," Kihyun snaps, losing his patience as well.

"Fucking fine," he says through gritted teeth. "I told that asshole the plain truth that _he_ killed Minhyuk." It only takes Wonho seconds to punch Jooheon square in the face right after that sentence was uttered. Jooheon drops to the floor, groaning in pain. He hears a scream right behind him but Wonho doesn't leave Jooheon just like that, oh no. The older male is too consumed with his rage.

"Watch your fucking tongue, Lee Jooheon," Wonho warns, crouching down to him and grabbing his collar once again. Jooheon's nose is bleeding, the deep crimson staining his teeth all the way dripping down his chin getting some on his shirt too.

"What? Can't handle the truth, huh?" Jooheon mocks. Wonho screams at him one more time and throws another blow his way. This sends Jooheon further back and he coughs several times before spitting blood to the side.

"No stop!" Changkyun screams. He trashes in Kihyun's hold who retrains him back from getting between those two. Shownu immediately pulls Wonho away from Jooheon, retraining him as well as all their focuses are now on the bruised male who is laughing, trying to get up from the floor pathetically.

"I think you should stop—"

"No," Jooheon cuts Shownu off, finally able to stand but he supports himself with the wall nearby. "Since you all care so much about that fucktard and you want to know what I said to him then I will do the fucking honor," Jooheon spits. "I simply told him the truth. I told him how he made Minhyuk's life a living hell. He didn't deserve to be with that fucker. Minhyuk deserved so much more. _My_ — _My_ Minhyuk deserved so much better! And Hyungwon ruined it all for both of us! Now, look at Minhyuk, dead because of him. Just fucking fantastic, isn't it?"

"You—!" Wonho fights in Shownu's grip to lunge at Jooheon once again after hearing all the poisonous lies out of Jooheon's mouth. It just riles Wonho even more to end Jooheon right then and there for talking so illy about Hyungwon. Shownu manages to pull him back, keeping him in place.

"Wonho stop." The said male didn't want to listen. Jooheon was the sole reason why Hyungwon is the way he is now and to think that he would let it slide just like that is fucking mental.

"Let me go," he demands as he tries to tug away from the tight grips. Eventually, Wonho's much larger build vanquishes Shownu's own strength and he stumbles back when Wonho slips past his grip. Wonho wastes no time to throw another punch at Jooheon, this time it lands at his abdomen. Jooheon doubles over whilst clutching his abdomen in pain, coughing heavily again.

"You are demented!"

"Everyone fucking stop!" Kihyun's loud voice booms throughout the living room. Instinctively, everyone does stop, their gaze turning to the smaller male who's scowling. Changkyun's left crying beside him while holding onto Kihyun in fear. Shownu takes this opportunity to pull Wonho back once again and Kihyun goes to stand in between both Jooheon and Wonho.

"This has gotten way out of hand," Kihyun states then let out a heavy sigh. "You," his attention first focuses on Jooheon whose still glaring holes at Wonho. "Go clean yourself up first then we'll talk." Jooheon mutters some incoherent curses as he takes his battered self down the hallway and to the toilet.

"And you," he turns to Wonho who clearly isn't satisfied with the fact that the smaller male had stopped him halfway. "Go to Hyungwon." 

"But—" 

"Listen Wonho, whatever Jooheon said to Hyungwon is messed up and it's not true, I can guarantee you that. I can't imagine what Hyungwon must've gone through hearing—" Kihyun pauses, trying to keep his emotions at bay. He couldn't even bring himself to conceptualize what Hyungwon must think of himself now.

"Hyungwon needs you now, trust me."

It doesn't take much to convince Wonho to go to Hyungwon after that. Although his anger is still there at least a good portion of it is temporarily imprinted on Jooheon's face (and abdomen) which satisfied the older. Wonho cleans his bloodied hands in the washroom just outside Hyungwon's bedroom. He wonders if the younger had woken up from all the commotion downstairs.

When Wonho opens the door to Hyungwon's room he instantly frowns. The younger has woken up but he has his phone and it's glued to his ear. He is so engrossed with it that he hasn't realized Wonho's presence yet.

"Baby?" he calls. Hyungwon looks up to the voice with fat, hot tears trailing down his already flushed cheeks. By the looks of it, the younger must've been up for a while now and he had been crying since. This makes Wonho feel bad for not being there during that time. He instantly goes to his side to comfort him.

"Baby, what's wrong? Who are you calling?"

"He—Min—Minhyukkie isn't picking up. Why?"

And right there and then Wonho's heart shatters looking at the broken state of his lover.

* * *


	87. Chapter 87

* * *

"Baby," Wonho calls him sadly. Hyungwon finally puts his phone down but he's full attention is still on the small lighted screen, frowning.

"Hoseok-ah, do you know why Minhyukkie isn't answering my calls?" Hyungwon asks in a shaky tone. Wonho slowly reaches forward and takes the phone away from his hand. Surprisingly the younger doesn't fight him on this. Wonho turns the phone off and puts it on the bedside table before turning back to him.

"Baby, you know why," he says gently.

"N—No," he says whilst shaking his head, refusing to believe him even though the depths of him know the black and white truth. "Is he—Is he mad at me?"

"Love, you know that he loves you," Wonho tells him while caressing his cheek littered with dried tear stains. Even if it pains the older to say these words he knows that Hyungwon needs to understand this truth after being fed with so many lies before. And so he puts the slight ache in his heart aside to tend to the broken younger.

"Maybe... I wasn't very good to him even Jooheon—" The older's blood boils hearing how Jooheon loaded his mind with disgusting lies.

"Don't listen to that fucker," Wonho says with gritted teeth. The younger visibly flinches and Wonho sighs. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, my love," he apologizes and plants a kiss on the younger's hand. "He lied to you, love. Whatever he said isn't true so don't believe him."

"I didn't kill him," Hyungwon mumbles. "I—I know we have our—our ups and downs but—I didn't kill him," he tells the older desperately. He hopes at least someone will believe him. Wonho sits on the bed beside the younger and hugs him.

"I know you didn't," Wonho reassures softly into his ear. "Kihyun knows it. Even Shownu and Changkyun know it too. No one blames you, love. Nothing was your fault. No one could've prevented it from happening." Hyungwon doesn't answer. He just nuzzles his head deeper into the warm chest, savoring the sense of security he feels just by the older's presence. He doesn't want to think much because his head still hurts and his body still aches.

"Baby, I need to ask you something. You think you can be honest with me?" There isn't a salient answer but he did feel the subtle nod against his chest. And so he goes on. "Did you know Jooheon was coming over?" An indistinctive shake of his head is felt indicating _'no'_. Wonho pauses for a moment, rubbing his hand comfortingly on the younger's back who seems to relax a little.

"What happened when he was here, love?" Hyungwon visibly stiffens. Wonho notices and he's quick to react, making sure the younger doesn't slip into deeper distress. "You don't have to tell me if you're not ready. It's okay."

Hyungwon's response isn't as fast as he'd hope but he couldn't blame him for that. The younger shifts a few times in the older's embrace before slowly retracting his head back to look up at Wonho who give him a small smile.

"He—didn't know I knew," Hyungwon mumbles.

"And what would that be?" Hyungwon is hesitant, but eventually, he tells him, not much but enough to understand all the events leading up to where they are now.

**▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁**

"How is he?" Kihyun asks, entering into the room. The first thing the smaller male sees is Hyungwon sleeping in his bed while Wonho has his head in his hands resting on his knees. The older looks up at him and Kihyun feels bad seeing how tired Wonho looks.

"He's not in a good place right now," Wonho tells him honestly. "I think he's slipped into some kind of shock after whatever Jooheon told him. He couldn't come into terms that Minhyuk isn't here anymore."

He comes forward to them and sits just beside Hyungwon right in front of Wonho. Kihyun sees the Hyungwon's got a little color back on his face. He brings his hand over and lightly pushes his fallen hair away from his face.

"I thought you were going to talk to Jooheon?" 

"Shownu's tending to his wounds now, I'll talk to him later. Changkyun doesn't want to be around Jooheon at the moment and he doesn't have the guts to see Hyungwon yet so he's waiting in the guest room." Wonho just nods and lets out a heavy sigh filled with exhaustion and frustration. Kihyun looks down at Wonho's own bruised knuckles and sees that he hasn't done much to clean it besides washing the blood off. 

"You should put some cream on it." Wonho lifts to examine the slightly blue mix with a darker shade of red contouring each of his knuckles.

"Maybe later." 

Wonho's head still buzzes from what Hyungwon had told him. If they ever want Hyungwon and Jooheon to revolve all their problems, this particular issue should be addressed as well. Wonho knows he has no place to confront Jooheon with this truth, but he knows at least Kihyun can do it for Hyungwon and for all of their sake. It's the closure they need and whatever they want to do with Jooheon after this will be solely up to them but Wonho knows he will never look at Jooheon the same again.

"Ki, remember you told me Hyungwon and Jooheon's friendship wasn't the same after some New Year's Eve party?" Kihyun hums, shifting his full attention to the older male now.

"It was Hyungwon actually that hosted the party and right after the next day he removed Jooheon from our group chat and God was Hyungwon furious with him."

"Did you happen to notice anything odd during that time? During the party I mean," he asks.

Kihyun frowns and shakes his head. Besides the fact that it happened almost 5 years ago which would explain the hazy memory, Kihyun—and pretty much everyone else—didn't notice anything unusual. There was heavy drinking, the music was blaring too loud, he's pretty sure something somewhere in Hyungwon's house was stained but other than that everyone was having a great time.

"Not that I remember," Kihyun answers.

"I think I may know what riled up Jooheon to say those things to Hyungwon, no doubt in his mind he truly thinks Hyungwon stole his chance with Minhyuk," Wonho tells him that peaks Kihyun's interest. "I'm not sure to what extent that this is true but Hyungwon told me Jooheon mistreated Minhyuk the night of the New Year's Eve party..."

Kihyun gasps, eyes immediately widen. "He—What? Mistreated how?" he asks carefully, not fully believing what he had just heard.

"He said Jooheon followed Minhyuk to the washroom and forced himself onto him in their bedroom. Hyungwon didn't go into much detail about what Jooheon really did to Minhyuk, but he did tell me that Minhyuk came back distraught and he was crying a lot."

"That explains why he hates Jooheon so much... Fuck, how does Jooheon think it was okay to pretend like he hadn't done anything? All these while he made it seem like Hyungwon was mental for hating someone _innocent_."

"I really think you should confront Jooheon about _this_ too. I know Hyungwon wouldn't lie about something this serious, but for all your sakes, I think it's best you get the answers you've all wanted from him directly."

"I—I will. Thanks for telling."

"Of course. I mean I could've dealt with it myself and I can guarantee you it will not end pretty." Kihyun snickers lightly at the last remark.

"I didn't think you were one to fight," Kihyun admits honestly. He's known Wonho for years even before he moved to Seoul and for all his life, Wonho was one who would run away from fights not start one. So the smaller male was completely taken aback when he saw Wonho pinned Jooheon against the wall, even more, when he threw his first punch.

"I'm really not, honestly. I don't know, I just got so furious seeing Hyungwon like this because of that dickhead. There was no way I was going to let him leave this place without a scratch."

"Well, you did more than just a scratch."

Wonho wouldn't start another fight ever again, but if the situation is called for to defend or protect Hyungwon, he would definitely do it in a heartbeat all over again. No question.

* * *


	88. Chapter 88

* * *

Kihyun sighs. 

Jooheon and Shownu are both standing in the living room with Kihyun who just came down after seeing Hyungwon. The said male hasn't woken up from his slumber so he decides to deal with Jooheon for the moment before focusing his sole attention on Hyungwon. 

Kihyun did call Changkyun out from the guest room but the youngest of the group just seemed so utterly heartbroken. He doesn't have the courage to stand in front of Joohoeon without breaking down after all that he's heard. Kihyun understands and tells him that he can come out whenever he feels ready. The youngest gave little to no reply and he left him be.

Kihyun sighs from the multiple events happening in one night which somehow correlates to the events way back to 5 years ago. His head hurts just thinking about the multiple puzzle pieces scattered around. 

Then without any warnings whatsoever, Kihyun slaps Jooheon right across his face. Shownu's eyes widen and at this point, Jooheon doesn't seem the least bit surprised by the shorter's outburst. He recovers quickly with a hand on his reddening cheek and wears a deadpan look.

"That's for all the things you put Hyungwon through," Kihyun says.

"That was out of line, Jooheon," Shownu starts and his tone is anything but kind or even patient anymore. Not that it frightened Jooheon. He is too consumed in his own emotions to care.

"Hyung—"

"Is it true?" Kihyun interjects and that's when Jooheon notices his clenched fists. "What you did to Minhyuk that night... Is it all true?"

"Listen, Kihyun hyung, it doesn't matter what you heard, it all happened a long time ago."

"Fuck Jooheon answer my fucking question!" Kihyun yells, finally losing his patience. "Did you or did you not mistreat Minhyuk _that_ night? And don't you dare ask me which night I'm talking about because I'm darn sure you know."

"So what if it's true?" Jooheon huffs without the slightest bit of remorse. "It's in the past. We move on from it."

"Oh, you are one to talk about moving on—"

"Okay, a timeout for you," Shownu immediately cuts in, holding Kihyun back who seems like he's ready to throw some fists at the other male which he doesn't doubt the smaller would do. Shownu gesture for Kihyun to sit down by the couch nearby, gently rubbing his hand along his thigh to calm him down. 

"Let me handle this first, okay?" he tells him gently. "Nothing will be resolved if all we're going to do is fight all night." Kihyun gives him an unconvinced look, but Shownu holds onto one of his hands and squeezes it, showing him a small smile. Kihyun mumbles a displeased _'fine'_ but his burning gaze never left the other male.

"You went too far," Shownu tells Jooheon as he stands to look at him, his tone much stricter than anyone has ever heard before. 

"If anyone needs lecturing, it's that asshole up there," the younger grits stubbornly with narrowed eyes. 

"I get it—we all do—he's selfish and many other things besides that, but you Jooheon, you are no saint as well. You're insensitive and thick-skinned. And what you did was a dick move."

"Excuse me?"

"I know Hyungwon's not the only one hurting, but saying how he killed Minhyuk and how Minhyuk never felt happy with Hyungwon—that was too much. You knew he was the happiest with Hyungwon and no matter how difficult Hyungwon was Minhyuk still loved him. Through all their ups and downs, you've seen how they manage to pull it through together."

All Jooheon can really do is stay silent and that too not out of shame. He stays silent out of spite. His mind buzzes with ways he could possibly kill Hyungwon for how things ended up. He wishes more than anything that it was Hyungwon who died that night, not Minhyuk.

"You think you deserved Minhyuk because you saw him first because you both knew each other much longer than the rest of us and it's undeniable that _you_ loved him first. But Jooheon, Minhyuk loved Hyungwon and Hyungwon loves him too. You know this and you knew Minhyuk only ever saw you as his best friend if not like an older brother he never had. All because you refuse to accept these facts, you only ever see all the bad sides of Hyungwon.

"If Minhyuk wasn't happy to begin with he wouldn't have said _'yes'_ to marrying Hyungwon. You rationalize that Hyungwon isn't good for him because he isn't _you_. Now, thanks to you, he blames himself even more than he did."

"Great, so I'm the villain now," Jooheon retorts. "Fucking great! Evil Joohoney hurt poor Hyungwonnie," he mocks with thick sarcasm.

"Oh my God," Kihyun exasperated, standing up from the couch with boiling irritation. "What part of that did not enter that thick skull of yours?" he asks whilst pointing his finger right at Jooheon's chest.

"Don't worry, _Kihyun_ , I heard everything fucking clearly," he snaps, losing all honorifics altogether. "Just tell me, what's so wrong with falling in love? Because you're all making it seems like _it is_ a fucking sin to love Minhyuk."

"I never said there was anything wrong with falling in love," Shownu quickly clears up. " It's what you did because you're in love, that's what's wrong."

"And it's convenient, isn't it, that you dated Changkyun just to pick on Hyungwon's nerves? You knew how to rile him up," Kihyun adds when all the coincidences slowly make sense. How Jooheon suddenly became close to Changkyun after New Year's Eve party and how Jooheon seemed to intentionally spend so much more time with the youngest whenever Hyungwon openly expresses his dislike for it. 

"You never loved Changkyun. You _still_ love Minhyuk."

"You—what?" they hear a small voice speak behind them and they all turn to see Changkyun standing there, crying.

"Aw, my naive Changkyunnie, did I break your stupid little heart?" Jooheon mocks him now which makes him cry harder.

Shownu quickly goes to the youngest and hugs him. Changkyun doesn't come close to say anything—he couldn't. He doesn't know what to think anymore at this point. So, he just holds onto Shownu and cries in his chest.

"You know, I don't understand how you still have the audacity to walk around and act like nothing has happened. You disgust me, Lee Jooheon, and if it's anyone that's made Minhyuk's life a living hell, it's you," Kihyun sneers.

"Fuck you."

"Get out," he says pointing to the front door. "Until you are ready to fully apologize to both Hyungwon and Changkyun, don't show your face. Get out!" 

Kihyun, too, walks over to Changkyun after that and hugs him as well. It breaks the smaller male's heart to hear the youngest cry this much after knowing the man he was with wasn't with him for _him_. Instead, he had ulterior motives from the very start. He was a rebound for his emotional desires he couldn't achieve with Minhyuk. He was a toy used to fuel Hyungwon's rage knowing how much Hyungwon hated him especially when he gets a little _too_ close to the youngest he cares for so much.

Jooheon does what he's told. He doesn't utter a single word or doesn't look at anyone after that. He simply opens the door and gets out.

* * *


	89. Chapter 89

* * *

** Young Flexer's Gang🤑💸 **

_Joohoney left_

**KiKi:**  
wow

 **Shownu:**  
owh ok?

 **Wonho:**  
what happened  
did the talk not go well?

 **Shownu:**  
not as well as we hoped to

 **Changkyun:**  
he blocked me...

 **Wonho:**  
i'm confused  
what did changkyun do

 **KiKi:**  
nothing  
that dick was exposed and changkyun was just part of his sick game all along

 **Wonho:**  
i'm so sorry changkyun

 **Changkyun:**  
i should'vr listened to hyungwon hyung

 **KiKi:**  
he blocked me too  
and changkyunnie don't blame yourself you couldn't have known

 **Wonho:**  
surprise surprise he blocked me too🙂

 **Shownu:**  
me as well  
why are we all texting here when we're all in the same house?

 **Wonho:**  
i'm upstairs :p

 **KiKi:**  
logical🙄

 **Shownu:**  
anyways kihyun, changkyun and i are heading out to get food  
what would you like?

 **KiKi:**  
watch me predict this  
rAmen!

 **Wonho:**  
ramen  
 ** _@KiKi_** 😑 i do not appreciate ur smart ass

 **KiKi:**  
just young flexer thing you knkw😛🤙

* * *


	90. Chapter 90

* * *

Hyungwon gets easily cold so, it only makes sense for him to cling onto the body close to him that supplies him all the warmth. The body next to him instinctively pulls him closer, stroking through his hair gently to gently coax him back to slumber. Hyungwon whines in content and snuggles closer into the chest. He inhales the scent, drowning himself in the comfort of the scent of the fabric softener used. It's familiar but its also a scent he had not expected to be next to him.

He moves his head back out of curiosity and flutters his eyes open. He sees the curtains in his room are drawn but that doesn't stop a few streaks of light to peek through to see enough. A smile graces down at him by the male he didn't expect to see next to him.

"You're awake."

"Kihyun?" he asks, shocked. "Where's—Hoseok?"

He gives him a sad smile while sweeping the hair off the younger's forehead. "He's waiting downstairs," Kihyun tells him. Hyungwon frowns. Just as he opens his mouth to ask another question Kihyun beats him to it.

"You pushed him away—I don't know if you remember but you started getting hysterical again and he got scared because you wouldn't calm down so he called me and you just cling onto me and didn't let go," he explains.

Hyungwon looks down in embarrassment. He didn't remember that happening, but to be fair the events of the past few days after he collapsed are all hazy. 

"I'm sorry," he says softly.

"No no, don't apologize, Wonnie. I understand that this is hard," Kihyun quickly tells him, pulling him back into his chest, hugging him tightly. Hyungwon sighs. His head hurts trying to recollect all that has happened the past few days but he couldn't puzzle it together. Rather memories leading up to his collapse resurfaces and the guilt within his chest constricts him. This causes him to feel small as he hugs the smaller male beside him tighter.

"I'm so sorry, Kihyun," Hyungwon apologizes against the male's chest. The aforementioned male looks down at him with slight confusion. "How I left things off with you, I—I didn't mean what I said. I appreciate you so much and the fact that you care this much for me—I just—I don't deserve all of that for the way I've treated you..."

"You're really going to make me a cheesy mess now, aren't you?" Kihyun grumbles playfully causing Hyungwon to chuckle lightly. "Hyungwon, I've known you for a long time. I know you deep inside and I know you didn't mean what you said. I love you, Hyungwon, you know I always will no matter what."

"Fuck, you sound so gay," Hyungwon snickers. Kihyun smacks the younger's back causing him to chuckle louder. Hyungwon then mumbles, "I love you, too." 

Kihyun then settles on telling Hyungown bits and pieces of the events that happened a few days ago while he was still unwell. He didn't want to overwhelm the younger with the full story, but just enough for him to get the gist of it.

Hyungwon was shocked, to say the least. He didn't think things would turn up like this. Maybe he had expected some other kind of reaction when they found out about Jooheon? Hyungwon's heart, however, did warm up when he heard how Wonho fought for him—it's just he doesn't know to what extend.

"I'm not mad at you, Hyungwon—no one is. I just want to know why you didn't think it was important to tell any of this to us earlier?" Kihyun asks gently.

"Minhyuk—Minhyuk made me promise not to tell anyone about what happened to him," Hyungwon tells him softly. "Minhyuk—he wanted to believe that it was a one-time thing whatever Jooheon did..."

"But it wasn't?" Hyungwon shakes his head almost too quickly at that. "He did it again after that one time?" Kihyun feels the slight nod against his chest and his grip tightens around Hyungwon's waist out of rage.

"That fucker broke into our house a few days after I proposed to Minhyuk and tried it again with him when I was working late. I was so angry—fuck, I was beyond that! But Minhyuk—he didn't want me to confront him. He said he had managed to talk through to Jooheon properly and that he understood to leave us alone. He did leave us alone after that and Minhyuk, he acted like nothing happened, like everything was okay...

"I didn't mean to hide it from all of you it's just he said everyone's friendship with Jooheon would be ruined if they found out and he didn't want that. He kept telling me that Jooheon is a good guy and he's just hurt. In the end, we just stopped talking about this altogether because whenever I bring it up we always end up fighting. That's why I stayed quiet about it—until now..."

"That bastard," Kihyun scowls. 

"Well, he blocked us all and he didn't contact any of us since we confronted him." Hyungwon can only sigh sadly. He's sure that this isn't how Minhyuk wanted it to turn out.

As much as Hyungwon hates Jooheon, he can understand the heartbroken aspect of the other male. It sucks, it hurts big time knowing the person you've loved all your life is in love with someone else. That, however, does not justify his actions. He still can't phantom how one's broken heart could lead them to do so many things. 

"Are you feeling okay? Do you need anything?" Kihyun asks, dripping with concern at the younger's sudden silence.

"I want Hoseok..."

* * *


	91. Chapter 91

* * *

"Hyungwon?" 

The younger peeks from his comforter to see the older male walking into his room a little unsurely with a perturbed demeanor. He then offers a small smile when the younger's eyes trail his every move. He thinks to settle on the chair near the bed but Hyungwon instantly grabs his wrist and drags him to the bed, hugging him ever so tightly. Wonho embraces him too as he lets out a relieved sigh, gently rubbing his back.

"Everything okay, my love?" he asks against the younger's nape, lips brushing against the skin causing slight tingles running down his spine. 

"I missed you," Hyungwon admits. The younger places a kiss on Wonho's exposed shoulder. Wonho smiles and nuzzles deeper into his neck. Hyungwon carefully places himself on Wonho's lap who holds him in place from falling.

"I missed you too, so much."

Instead of going in for a rough kiss, Wonho settles for a gentle peck on Hyungwon's nose then on his chapped lips. He then continues to plant butterfly kisses along Hyungwon's neck causing giggles to elicit from the tickling sensation. 

The euphoric feeling in the pit of Hyungwon's stomach is enough to make him explode. This right here is more than enough for him. He doesn't need anything more to be content. He cups both his hands on the older's cheeks and just stares into those brown eyes with fervent endearment. It makes him feel all bubbly when the man before him mirrors just the same in his own orbs.

"I'm sorry," Hyungwon apologizes softly thumb gently grazing against the older's smooth cheek.

"My love—"

"No Hoseok, please, I know you're going to say that _it's okay_ but it's not," Hyungwon immediately interjects. "I hurt you and that's not okay. Don't say it's alright because I know you're hurt too. Kihyun told me what I did and—it's not an excuse."

"But you didn't do it intentionally so I understand, love," Wonho tells him benignly. He takes both the younger's hands and kisses his knuckles before holding them protectively in his own hands. "Even if I was hurting I know brought this onto myself. I had so many chances where I could've just left you, but I didn't. You see, I couldn't. As much as I get hurt from all of this, you're hurting so much more than I am."

"B—But still..."

"We're okay," Wonho reassures him. "Even at times when things are not okay, we are going to be okay."

"You can't always be this forgiving," Hyungwon stutters guiltily. He wishes Wonho would at least lash out to him about all the hell he's put the older through. He wants Wonho to hurt him like the way he hurt him, make him feel any kind of pain. But instead, he chuckles and pecks on the younger's cheek. 

Hyungwon slowly shifts to his bruised knuckles from the hand that's on his cheek. He frowns as he brings the hand closer and sees the deep red contusions on his knuckles. "Did you get into a fight?"

Wonho hesitates. "Well..." The younger's eyes widen at the sudden confession. 

"With who?"

"Lee Jooheon," Wonho tells him bitterly. 

To say that Hyungwon is taken aback and quite frankly shocked even. For as long as he knew the older, Wonho is a soft-hearted guy that hates any sort of arguments especially when it involves getting physical. If possible, he knows that he would rather resolve it through talking. When Kihyun had told him that Wonho fought for him he didn't expect him to _physically_ fight for him.

"You—Fuck, why? What got you so mad, sweetheart?"

"You. And him," he says simply. "Seeing you and your state. You suffered so much because of him and all those awful things he said about you—I couldn't just let him walk away like that." 

Hyungwon isn't one to easily get emotional but for some reason, his eyes start to burn from oncoming tears now. He was always there looking after everyone and fighting off people to protect the ones he loves. And he is fine with that, he loves doing it if it means they are safe and protected. But now having someone else do it for him (and get hurt along the way), it overwhelms him to say the least.

Wonho is immediately alarmed when a sudden tear streams down Hyungwon's cheek. His thumb grazes over the wet trace, wiping it away and making sure to wipe the other eye as well as another tear threatens to fall.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"I lo—" Hyungwon stops himself. He bites his trembling lips, wondering if he really wants to give those words away in the spur of the moment where all his emotions are incoherent for the most parts right now.

He knows what he feels deep inside, he loves it. Every moment with the man holding him, he loves it. But he doesn't want to say something just because his bursting emotions tell him to. People say _never to make promises when you're happy and never to make decisions when you're angry_. The same goes for now. 

It's not that he doesn't trust his mouth to say the right things, but it's that he doesn't trust his heart that suddenly wants to beat so much more for the man before him when it still aches for someone who's no longer here anymore. It wouldn't be fair to Wonho.

It's only three words.

It's only three _simple_ words they say. Those three words, however, hold so much significance to Hyungwon that some even ridicule him for taking it seriously—a little too seriously. But is it wrong to want sincere love than those short-lived puppy love where _'I love you'_ s are simply being thrown around with empty promises?

He wants something he can truly hold on to, a safe place he can come back to whenever he's lost. A sanctuary to keep him protected with promises within its walls bound together tightly. Still, he knows he can't fully have that until he lets another part of his life go, a part that holds much more pain yet still shimmers shards of happiness—a part where Hyungwon isn't ready to do so.

"You—" he stutters, trying to get the right words out. He closes the gap between them, lightly rubbing his nose with the older's as their foreheads touch.

"Thank you," he breathes almost like a whisper, lips faintly brushing over the other. "Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you—for not leaving me." And Wonho answers by gently initiating the kiss. He wraps his arms around the younger's smaller waist, pulling him impossibly closer as they deepen the kiss.

Although many things are still uncertain for them now, one thing's for sure; this right here within his grasp, Hyungwon knows he doesn't ever want to lose _this._

* * *


	92. Chapter 92

* * *

** Bunny♥ **

**Bunny♥:**  
hey baby you packed all the things you need?

 **Hyungwon:**  
yea i got all i need not that it's a lot anyways  
but hoseok   
you see...

 **Bunny♥:**  
convincing me to let you stay on your own now is not going to work this time  
at least not for the next 2 weeks

 **Hyungwon:**  
i still wonder how you got through my dad to give me 2 weeks off

 **Bunny♥:**  
it wasn't easy  
but also let's just say now i have to work extra hard to impress him when i ask permission your hand in marriage

 **Hyungwon:**  
oh?

 **Bunny♥:**  
i might've fallen under his least favorite person's list now  
and i don't think he likes the fact that you're dating me either

 **Hyungwon:**  
don't worry too much about that  
he doesn't exactly like the fact that i'm gay but he sucks it up because i'm his next successor

 **Bunny♥:**  
he must've given you lots of shit for that huh

 **Hyungwon:**  
you have no idea  
coming out to him was one thing but bringing another guy home is a whole other disaster

 **Bunny♥:**  
i see  
well then i shall work hard after this to win your dad over

 **Hyungwon:**  
that's going to be a really tough nut to crack

 **Bunny♥:**  
thanks for the encouragement baby i feel so reassured now

 **Hyungwon:**  
you could perhaps start with my mom  
she's a lot easier to get through  
plus i think she would really like you!

 **Bunny♥:**  
you think so?

 **Hyungwon:**  
sweetheart, you're hard not to like  
if you can get through a stubborn walnut like me then there's nothing to worry  
my mom is like a pistachio nut, they may seem hard to open but all you need to do is make a small crack then boom!  
my dad is more of a macadmia nut, he needs about 300 pounds of pressure per square inch to be fully cracked open

 **Bunny♥:**  
what  
did you just categories your family into different types of nuts😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
why yes  
it gives a clearer picture you see  
i'm a walnut, my mom's a pistachio and my dad's a macadamia  
a complete family made of nuts  
wait  
does that make us nuts?  
🤯

 **Bunny♥:**  
i see being stuck at home really has done you some damage  
are the four walls taunting you my poor baby

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok you have no idea  
come and get me already i'm rotting at home with no work to do

 **Bunny♥:**  
i should be leaving the office in a while  
would you like me to get you anything on my way?

 **Hyungwon:**  
iced americano please😬

 **Bunny♥:**  
no  
i'm cutting your coffee for 2 weeks  
you mister need to watch your caffeine intake   
it's truly worrying

 **Hyungwon:**  
sweetheart :(  
baby :((  
hoseokkie :(((  
my precious little muscle bunny :((((

 **Bunny♥:**  
call me your precious little muscle bunny i like that

 **Hyungwon:**  
so yes to americano😃

 **Bunny♥:**  
nice try love  
i can get you a choco cream chip frap w/ choco drizzle  
or a caramel frap? with extra caramel drizzle?  
i heard their green tea frap w/ choco chip is quite good

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'll just have the caramel frap then :(

 **Bunny♥:**  
i shall get you a mississippi mud muffin as well :)  
or do you prefer their red velvet cake?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i might just come out diabetic after these 2 weeks

* * *


	93. Chapter 93

* * *

**Bunny♥**

**Bunny♥:**  
bed  
empty  
i  
need  
u

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok  
it's only been 5 mins

 **Bunny♥:**  
i miss you

 **Hyungwon:**  
sweets i'm just in the kitchen you know this

 **Bunny♥:**  
i miss you still :( like tremendously :( incredibly :(  
my heart is breaking  
ouch

 **Hyungwon:**  
you've gotten way clingier these past few days

 **Bunny♥:**  
you can't exactly blame me when i have you beside me  
it's hard not to want you close to me

 **Hyungwon:**  
i am flattered

**Bunny♥:**

this bunny misses you

 **Hyungwon:**  
ramen or me

 **Bunny♥:**  
😲  
how dare you make me pick

 **Hyungwon:**  
🤷‍♂️  
come on  
tok tic tok tic

 **Bunny♥:**  
is this situational or a one set answer

 **Hyungwon:**  
its situational

 **Bunny♥:**  
ramen!

 **Hyungwon:**  
you answered that rather fast...

**Bunny♥:**

baby how long more  
hyungwonnie are you mad  
baby you know its always you  
you can take like a quarter of my ramen :))  
hyungwonnie😢  
 _Delivered✔✔_

* * *

Hyungwon cracks the egg into the boiling pot of ramen before going to the fridge to get the cheese slices knowing Wonho loves his spicy ramen with cheese. He places the cheese just beside the counter while waiting for the ramen and egg to cook properly together with the seasoning.

He feels a pair of strong arms snake their way around his waist from behind, pulling him back to a hard chest. Hyungwon instinctively smiles knowing who this particular person is.

Wonho nuzzles his nose against the younger's nape, gently rubbing it against the naked skin immersing himself in his natural scent.

"I hope you know it's always you," Wonho says against his skin, lips brushing lightly causing a tingle down Hyungwon's spine. Hyungwon hums questioningly, looking over his shoulder momentarily at the male before eyeing the cooking ramen.

"Ah, sorry I didn't reply. I didn't want to burn your ramen," Hyungwon tells him. "And of course I know. I'm way better than ramen." Wonho lightly snorts at that. He uses one of his hands to gently pull down the material covering the younger's shoulder before placing a few wet kisses on the skin just between his shoulder blade and neck.

"Hoseok~" Hyungwon attempts to grumble but instead a small moan draws out of his lips. Wonho gets excited from this and decides to bite a small area of the skin just below his ear.

"I like you being domestic like this," Wonho whispers and Hyungwon visibly shudders. Wonho takes another spot of the skin just below the first bruise between his teeth and starts nipping on it as well. Hyungwon, too immersed in the pleasure, only has alarm bells ringing when he smells something burning in front of him. _The ramen_ , he remembers.

"Shit Hoseok!" Hyungwon curses, pushing the older male away and quickly turning off the stove. He throws a glare at him who just gives him an innocent smile beside him. Hyungwon carefully takes the pot out of the stove and brings it over the kitchen counter.

"Love, let's just admit that you enjoyed that," Wonho says plainly, getting his utensils out of the drawer before going back to where Hyungwon is. He sits right in front of him who has his head rested on his palms. Hyungwon gives him an eye roll to which Wonho chuckles.

They both settle in comfortable silence, Hyungwon occasionally watches his partner devour the ramen he made with a full heart. Wonho notices the small smiling gracing upon the younger's lips that he reaches forward and intertwine one of his hand with his, giving it a squeeze. Hyungwon looks into those love-filled eyes and melts.

It's moments like this where just the mere touch from each other is enough to convey how they feel for one another whether it be hugging or just simply holding hands. Those dark brown orbs speak so much more than words simply aren't needed. They send their own kind of warmth and reassurance and Hyungwon loves that.

"How are you feeling?" Wonho asks.

"I still get migraines here and there but overall I'm okay," Hyungwon tells him ending it with a smile. Wonho sighs. He can see that the younger has gotten much healthier; the color in his skin returned and his cheeks are getting fuller. However, he still can't help but feel guilty at how Hyungwon ended up like this. He knows that it's not his fault-even Hyungwon tells him so. He only followed whatever Hyungwon had told him to do but he wished he had pushed himself a little more to help Hyungwon even when the younger had told him that _he was fine_.

"I can take you out tomorrow if you feel much better," Wonho suggests. He gently circles his thumb on the top of the younger's hand. Hyungwon's smile widens as he profusely nods his head. Wonho plants a kiss on top of his hand before continuing to eat his ramen.

"Do I get my quarter portion?" Hyungwon queries.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hyungwon shoves his phone to show him the text Wonho had sent him earlier. Wonho flashes an innocent grin as he discretely brings the pot much closer to him.

" _I have no recollection of such memory_ ," Wonho mimics the way Hyungwon had said that same sentence before.

"Lee Hoseok!

* * *


	94. Chapter 94

* * *

The sound of the doorbell has Hyungwon confused for a moment. He didn't remember Wonho telling him about a visitor coming. The tall male goes to the door and instantly smiles at the boy's unexpected visit. The younger boy, on the other hand, has his head lowered, fingers fiddling with each other with his feet nervously moving back and forth.

"Hyung..." the boy utters softly with uncertainty. Hyungwon wraps his arms around him, hugging him tightly. He had not seen Changkyun properly since they all left his house almost a week ago. It isn't anything serious that happened more so the younger just couldn't bear to face Hyungwon, not after the humiliation Jooheon has put him through.

Hyungwon brings the boy in and ushers him to the kitchen counter where he offers him a cup of tea. The younger only nods wordlessly while he takes his seat on one of the kitchen stools. Hyungwon gives him a soft smile before going to boil the hot water. 

"It's been a while... I thought you wouldn't want to see me again," Hyungwon tells the boy honestly as he turns on the electric kettle. He gets out two mugs and the green tea bags (since those are the only type of tea Wonho drinks).

"Hyung—I—Of course I would want to see you again," Changkyun tells him softly.

"I understand if you hate me for what happened between you and Jooheon—"

"Why would I hate you?" Changkyun asks abruptly, cutting the older midway. "I should've listened to you, hyung. I shouldn't have doubted you. I should've never questioned you whenever you told me not to get too close to him." 

Hyungwon, confused as ever, stares at him. For all he knew Wonho had gotten into a massive fight with Jooheon, Kihyun's confrontation with him didn't go anywhere near as planned and he just walked out of everyone's life just like that—including Changkyun's. He didn't think there were any more potholes that needed to be filled up.

"Changkyun, I know I haven't exactly been the most supportive about your relationship and I'm truly sorry, but you know I never want you to get hurt in any way."

"I—I know, hyung. I was the idiot for not listening to you in the first place. I was too naive to see that I was just part of his little game to get back at you." 

Hyungwon is shocked—actually, probably more than that. He is fuming honestly with raw anger as soon as those words left the younger's mouth. He didn't think it was anymore possible to hate Jooheon, but that has been proven wrong. Hyungwon wants to burst out, curse every crude word there is towards Jooheon however he refrains himself when he sees those silent tears trailing down from the younger boy's innocent eyes. It breaks Hyungwon's heart to have to see him like this. 

Hyungwon walks around the counter to stand in front of the younger boy, turning his stool so he's facing him. He grazes him thumb over his wet cheek to wipe the tears away before placing a loving kiss on his forehead. 

"I never wanted you to go through this kind of heartbreak, it hurts me to see you like this," Hyungwon tells him sadly. Changkyun can only sniff away the oncoming tears. He knows it's his own fault for ignoring the older's words. It was his fault to blindly trust someone simply out of their kind actions and disregarding all the other times when his gut told him things didn't seem right. He saw the red flags but chooses to ignore it.

"I'm so sorry you got dragged into this mess because of us. It was only supposed to be between Minhyuk, Jooheon and I." Hyungwon wipes away the new brimming tears. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you better." 

Changkyun lunges himself onto Hyungwon who thankfully catches him in time. He hugs the younger who now sobs in his chest. Hyungwon hates how in agonizing the younger boy sounds. Breaking up with someone is painful no doubt, but finding out that you were used just for someone's vengeful pleasure is simply a different kind of hurt. It leaves a wound deep enough to form a lasting scar, a constant reminder that you can't fully trust someone the same again without getting the slightest bit of paranoia.

All Hyungwon can do is let the boy cry his heart out while he draws soothing circles on his back. He knows words wouldn't fully comfort him—nothing will truly suffice the pain, for now, so he resorts to silent physical affection. 

Once the younger had quiet down, now occasionally hiccupping and sniffling, Hyungwon leans back to look at him. He reaches forward to wipe his tears dry again and gives him a small smile. "I'll go get you your tea, yea?" Changkyun nods silently. Hyungwon kisses the top of his head then proceeds to the counter where he pours the hot water into both their mugs. Changkyun mumbles a quiet _thank you,_ taking the warm mug between his cold hands.

"I hope you know that I'm not mad at you in any way. I was never mad at you to begin with," Hyungwon tells him. Changkyun seems almost too surprised at this. He had expected some kind of minor resentment or even somewhere along the lines of _'I told you so'_ , instead here Hyungwon is telling him that he isn't a tad bit angry.

"You should be," Changkyun says, realistically speaking. Hyungwon can only shake his head, the smile still embedded on his lips. Changkyun places the mug down and waddles over to Hyungwon's side. The older male looks at him tenderly, waiting for whatever the younger has to say.

Changkyun appears to be hesitant but he manages to muster the words out properly. It is soft, almost whisper-like even so Hyungwon catches every word. "Hyung, will you still hug me like I was nine?" Hyungwon can only smile widely as he invites the younger into his arms.

"You will always be the nine-year-old boy I saw gawking at the moving trucks in front of my house," Hyungwon tells him fondly. Changkyun chuckles at the faint memory. He was always told that he indeed did stand outside of Hyungwon's house when they were moving in and even threw a tantrum when the movers refused to let Changkyun help.

He smiles for the first time that day as he snuggles deeper into Hyungwon's chest. Going back to the days when they would snuggle each other during their frequent sleepovers, Hyungwon hugs him protectively while carding his fingers through the younger's hair, just like he was holding Changkyun ten years ago.

* * *


	95. Chapter 95

* * *

**Young Flexer's Gang🤑💸**

**Changkyun:**

hyungwon hyung's helpers :)

 **Wonho:**  
so i see you are all having a blast without me🙃

 **KiKi:**  
sucks to be you working this weekend

 **Wonho:**  
what are you doing at my place anyways

 **Changkyun:**  
we're accompanying hyung :)  
he was getting lonely

 **KiKi:**  
tsk tsk tsk wonho

 **Wonho:**  
excuse you i can't do anything when a client wants to meet me on a weekend

 **KiKi:**  
still sucks to be you

 **Wonho:**  
😑  
how's my baby doing?

**Changkyun:**

hyung found this new game   
i think it's called Blendy? yea so he's been virtually blending fruit juices for about an hour now

 **Wonho:**  
my precious baby🥺

 **KiKi:**  
 _ **@Wonho**_ where did you put your spices?  
i can't find them in the fridge

 **Wonho:**  
it's in the cabinet beside the teabags  
please don't mess up my place thank you

 **KiKi:**  
what do you take me for🙄

 **Wonho:**  
just a little precautionary warning won't hurt

 **KiKi:**  
well it does hurt my ego

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
way to go sweets!  
crush that ego of his😈

 **Wonho:**  
are you proud of me baby😇

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
my little champion❤

 **KiKi:**  
you two are a fucking scary couple  
i wouldn't even be surprised by this point if news breaks out that you two murdered a bunch of people because i can foresee it happening

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
sweetheart we need to eliminate a suspect  
name: yoo kihyun  
height: < 160 cm

 **KiKi:**  
fuck you i'm 175cm

 **Hyungwon💚:**  
that's barely a threat so what's your point

 **Changkyun:**  
😂😂😂

 **Wonho:**  
target will be easily eliminated

 **KiKi:**  
you both are fucking psycho

 **Wonho:**  
what are you and shownu cooking anyways?

 **KiKi:**  
shownu's preparing the pork strips and i'm doing the stir-fry noodles and soft tofu stew

 **Wonho:**  
i'm hungry now  
and i swear if you say it sucks to be me one more time

 **KiKi:**  
to be fair you said it yourself 😗

* * *


	96. Chapter 96

* * *

** Young Flexer's Gang🤑💸 **

**Hyungwon:**  
we really need to change this group name  
its an abomination

 **Ki🐹:**  
you're an abomination

 **Hyungwon:**  
fuck you

 **Ki🐹:**  
wonho wouldn't like that

 **Hyungwon:**  
i might just be richer than you but you don't see me printing a billboard sign saying " ** _Loaded Chae🤑💸_** "

 **Ki🐹:**  
oh gosh a billboard printing! why didn't i think of that

 **Nunu🐻:**  
i think you introduced another idea to boast his money rather than to roast him for it

 **Hyungwon:**  
fml

 **Ki🐹:**  
why are you up so early anyways it's not like you at all

**Hyungwon:  
  
**

he brought me to work with him :)

**I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
aww🥺

 **Hyungwon:**  
he insisted i bring him since he's been complaining nonstop at home _-WH_  
sweets you make me sound like a whiny baby _-HW_  
you're my whiny baby _-WH_  
i'm fine with that🥰 _-HW_

 **Ki🐹:**  
from our perspective it seems like hyungwon is flirting with himself😂

 **Nunu🐻:**  
when you put it that way  
😂😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
wait  
oh fuck   
why did i just realize this!  
fuck fuck

 **Ki🐹:**  
you alright there buddy

_Bunny♥ changed the subject from "Young Flexer's Gang 🤑💸" to "Chaebugi's Squad🤙"_

**Ki🐹:**  
fuck what

 **Bunny♥:**  
fuck yea!  
i just remembered you made him an admin a long time ago _-HW_

 **Ki🐹:**  
that's a horrible name

 **Bunny♥:**  
like young flexer is any better🙄 _-HW_

_Ki🐹 changed the subject from "Chaebugi's Squad 🤙" to "Young Flexer's Crib 💸"_

_Ki🐹 removed Bunny♥ as the group admin_

**Bunny♥:**  
shit   
i should've removed you as the admin first   
_-HW_

 **Nunu🐻:**  
can the group name be something else? 

**I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
how about Oi?

 **Ki🐹:**  
why Oi?

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
idk  
it sounds cool

 **Nunu🐻:**  
anything besides kihyun's and hyungwon's narcissism will do

 **Ki🐹:**  
ouch

 **Hyungwon:**  
oh please like that scarred your pride  
everyone knows we're both the most narcissistic ones in this group

 **Ki🐹:**  
you wayyyyy more than me

 **Hyungwon:**  
living in denial has its perks i suppose

 **Ki🐹:**  
i'm not living in denial🙃

 **Hyungwon:**  
sure sweetie  
and i have a girlfriend 🙂

_Ki🐹 changed the subject from "Young Flexer's Crib 💸" to "Oi❌"_

**Ki🐹:**  
this group name shall remain for the next coming months  
if anyone has any objections speak now but it will make no difference so you might as well forever hold your peace 

**Bunny♥:**  
i leave my phone with hyungwon for twenty minutes and all this happens🤦‍♂️

* * *


	97. Chapter 97

* * *

** Oi❌ **

**Ki🐹:**  
hyungwon you're starting work again tomorrow right?

 **Hyungwon:**  
yea🙃🙂

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:  
** oh hyung i can finally see you around the office!

 **Hyungwon:**  
wait your internship has started?!

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:  
** oh yea it has   
i started last week hyung😬

 **Hyungwon:**  
 ** _@Nunu🐻_** you didn't think i needed to know this?  
i feel betrayed

 **Nunu🐻:  
** in my defense i was told not to tell you anything about the company's matter in the span of the last 2 weeks  
as per request of your boyfriend

 **Hyungwon:**  
but still!  
changkyunnie started his internship and i didn't know this whole time!!

 **Nunu🐻:  
** and he's been doing a pretty fine job so far

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:  
** :)))))

 **Hyungwon:**  
changkyun could you swing by my office tomorrow morning   
i'll let the head of finance know you'll be with me for a while

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:  
** sure hyung :)  
see you tomorrow😊

 **Nunu🐻:  
** does that mean you're heading home tonight?

 **Hyungwon:**  
yea  
hoseok's dropping me off now

 **Ki🐹:  
** rest well wonnie

* * *

"Sweets," Hyungwon calls, squeezing the hand Wonho has been holding the entire time he's been driving. Wonho hums for him to continue. "You've been quiet the whole ride. Is something wrong?" Wonho sighs heavily only to confirm the younger's suspicion. 

"I'm alright, love," Wonho tells him, momentarily looking his way to give him a small smile that is clearly forced. He brings the hand over to his lips and plants a delicate kiss on it.

"Something's bothering you. What is it?" the younger presses. 

"How about taking another week off?" Wonho suggests. "Or maybe stay over my place a couple more nights." Hyungwon frowns at this. 

"Sweetheart, I'm fine. I've recovered thanks to you and the guys," Hyungwon reassures him, trying to convince the older male. Wonho comes to a stop right in front of the younger's house with dread filling his chest. 

Wonho sighs another time before getting out of the car. He goes over to Hyungwon's side and opens the door for him. Hyungwon gives him a small smile exiting the car. Before Wonho can go to the backseat to get his bags the younger stops him, pulling him close.

"Talk to me," Hyungwon urges him. He intertwines their hands, refusing to let go until they resolve Wonho's doubts and worries.

"I'm scared," Wonho confesses softly. Hyungwon's eyes soften as he gazes upon the older's slightly faltered expression. He brings his hand to caress through the older's hair knowing how it'll calm him down.

"What are you scared of?" he asks gently.

"That if I leave you alone again like this then everything will repeat. I can't—I can't watch you lose yourself like that—not again." 

And Hyungwon gets it. 

This isn't the first time Hyungwon had drowned him beyond his physical capabilities to escape all his pain. But really, what kind of reassurance can the younger give that he won't hit another rock bottom again? There isn't any because he can't be sure. He doesn't know himself. He seems okay now better than he did a couple of weeks ago but what guarantee can he give that he truly is okay? For all he knows it could simply be because he's off work or that Wonho was by his side all those while.

He can't promise anything. And maybe that's why he decides to stay silent. Instead, he brings the older in for a tight hug. Wonho doesn't really know what to associate this hug with. Is it for reassurance sake? Is he telling him that he is okay? 

He hugs back nonetheless but that doesn't ease his worries at all. Wonho knows how stubborn the younger is so pressuring him to take more days off or telling him to stay over will not work unless it's on his own free will. The most he can do as of now is to be vigilant and when needed he will force the younger to stop whenever a red flag pops up because he knows he'll eventually lose Hyungwon one day if this keeps going on. And Wonho doesn't know if he can bear losing Hyungwon.

* * *


	98. Chapter 98

* * *

** Bunny♥ **

**Bunny♥:  
** wow i'm really starting to feel the effects of living alone  
i mean i don't quite feel it when you occasionally stay over   
but the fact that i had solid company for the last 2 weeks really makes a huge different

 **Hyungwon:**  
i miss you hoseok

 **Bunny♥:  
** i miss you too, love

 **Hyungwon :**  
and i get what you mean  
i didn't think i wud feel this lonely too

 **Bunny♥:  
** we're already whining and we're just streets apart  
kudos to people who are doing long-distance relationships because i don't think i'll be able to stay far away from you

 **Hyungwon:**  
you're a clingy bunny aren't you

 **Bunny♥:  
** i like to have you close to me

 **Hyungwon:**  
not that i'm complaining i like having you close too

 **Bunny♥:  
** glad the feeling's mutual  
how have you been? i know it's only been 3 days  
i hope you're doing okay

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm okay i guess

 **Bunny♥:  
** you guess?  
love what's the matter?

 **Hyungwon:**  
nothing nothing

 **Bunny♥:  
** baby are you going to tell me or do i have to force it out from you

 **Hyungwon:**  
it's nothing serious i promise  
just trying to get my tempo back at work  
i've been working a little slower than usual😅

 **Bunny♥:  
** is your dad pressuring you again?  
did he say something?  
you know i can go over and talk to him

 **Hyungwon:**  
i have no doubt you will  
also he called you _brave_ for standing up to him for me like that, not that he's impressed

 **Bunny♥:  
** impressing him is probably the second thing on my list  
my first priority is always you

 **Hyungwon:**  
correction: your first priority should be yourself

 **Bunny♥:  
** baby you're one to talk about putting yourself first

 **Hyungwon:**  
oh hush  
i'm being serious

 **Bunny♥:  
** and what makes you think i'm not serious as well?  
just because you're my first priority doesn't mean i'm going to neglect myself  
seeing you happy and healthy makes me happy

 **Hyungwon:**  
you fucking cheezeball

 **Bunny♥:  
** you're part of my happiness you know that?

 **Hyungwon:**  
as far as i know i have caused nothing but trouble and misery since you've known me

 **Bunny♥:  
** have you never seen how wide i smile just because of you?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i know but hoseok

 **Bunny♥:  
** stop  
hyungwon yes there has been multiple hardships in our relationship but all those things will never overshadow the fact that i like you so much  
i've never once regretted being with you  
i hope you feel the same

 **Hyungwon:**  
what  
hoseok of course i do  
i'm forever grateful that you haven't given up on me yet...  
it's just sometimes i can't help but feel like you don't deserve all that i put you through

 **Bunny♥:  
** if you're going to say that i deserve better then don't

 **Hyungwon:**  
:(

 **Bunny♥:  
** i have you there's nothing more i could ask for  
i wish you could see yourself the way i do  
you're an incredible person hyungwon

 **Hyungwon:**  
i do not appreciate the fact that you're about to make me cry right now

 **Bunny♥:  
** i'm sorry love  
i have to go now i have a client coming in a while

  
 **Hyungwon:**  
i have to go too actually  
shownu and his team are coming soon for a meeting

 **Bunny♥:  
** i'll call you later okay?  
take care my love❤

 **Hyungwon:**  
i love you|  
i love |  
i lov|  
i |  
i will  
take care hoseok

* * *


	99. Chapter 99

* * *

**Changkyun**

**Changkyun:**  
hi hoseok hyung

 **Wonho:**  
hello changkyun

 **Changkyun:**  
i'm sorry for disturbing

 **Wonho:**  
its fine changkyun   
what is it?

 **Changkyun:**  
i don't want to seem like i'm overreacting but can you check up on hyungwon hyung?

 **Wonho:**  
did something happen?

 **Changkyun:**  
i know its been a few weeks since he returned but he's already stayed back way past office hours a couple of times a week now  
and there are also a few times where he skipped lunch breaks  
idk how hyung is at home but he does come to the office looking really tired some days

 **Wonho:**  
did hyungwon tell you or shownu anything?  
did he ever confide in you guys?

 **Changkyun:**  
no...  
it's usually us that go to him during breaks and whatnot and out of all the times we've called him he only ever went with us once and that too the week when he came back from his recovery  
i'm not overreacting am i hyung?

 **Wonho:**  
i can assure you that you are not  
thank you for telling me this

 **Changkyun:**  
i'm scared hyung  
i can't really do much to help so i'm hoping you can do something 👉👈

 **Wonho:**  
changkyun don't say that  
by telling me this you are already helping  
i will check up on him

 **Changkyun:**  
thank you hyung  
i really love hyungwon hyung and i hate to see him suffer like that

 **Wonho:**  
i love him too and it hurts to see him like that as well

 **Changkyun:**  
hyung you love him?  
like really really unconditionally love him?  
like not puppy love but like adult-love love him?  
wait did that make sense🤔

 **Wonho:**  
it does😂 and yes i get what you mean  
i really love hyungwon

 **Changkyun:**  
oh hyung😭  
hyungwon hyung is so lucky!  
does he know this, hyung?

 **Wonho:**  
no  
not yet  
i don't want to overwhelm him by telling him this  
i know he is still healing from his old wounds so i'll wait  
i'll tell him when the time is right

 **Changkyun:**  
i'll be here to support you all the way✊

 **Wonho:**  
thank you :)  
now you should rest it's pretty late  
i'll check up on hyungwon so don't worry

 **Changkyun:**  
thank you again hyung🥺  
goodnight 😴

 **Wonho:**  
gudnight changkyun

* * *


	100. Chapter 100

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 100th chapter! Kudos to you guys who are still reading this. Thank you for your support🥺💕

* * *

Wonho takes a few moments to contact the younger after his conversation with Changkyun. He wanted to get his work cleared so he can solely focus on Hyungwon. Calling him however didn't ease his worries one bit when the younger only picks up after having missed his calls twice. Hoseok finally sighs in a little relief when the younger male finally does pick up.

" _Chae Hyungwon_ speaking," the younger answers which cause a frown to be etched on the older's face. Wonho knows Hyungwon only ever answers his phone like this when he attends any formal calls or when he doesn't know the number calling him. This is already a clear sign that he wasn't paying attention when answering his call.

"Hyungwon?"

"Oh Hoseok, hi," Hyungwon greets back when he comes to realize who it is. "Is something wrong?"

"Baby, where are you?" Wonho asks. He doesn't get an immediate response yet he does faintly hear the shuffling of papers in the background. "Love?" he calls again when the younger just goes silent for a long time.

"Sorry! Let me just—" he goes silent again before a loud thud is heard over at Hyungwon's end. "Okay," Hyungwon gets back on the line properly. "Sorry about that. Is everything alright, sweetheart?"

"I'm alright. I'm calling because I'm worried about you."

"Everything seems to be alright with me," the younger mindlessly answers. 

"Hyungwon, where are you?" And the other end goes silent once again. "Hyungwon?"

"I'm at the office—but I promise I am leaving soon." Wonho lets out a heavy sigh and Hyungwon can tell that he is disappointed in him. It had barely been a long period since his collapse and yet he's already falling back into his unhealthy routine. 

"I'm sorry, Hoseok. I promise I am leaving now." Wonho, of course, didn't let him off easily this time but after much reassurance that Hyungwon will go straight back and not touch a single one of his paperwork, they exchange goodbyes and hang up.

Hyungwon starts his engine and pauses. He knows he should head home—as he promised—but for some reason, he doesn't have the heart to. His emotions aren't as calm as they were when he busied himself with stressful paperwork. And that's when he realized that all these while he had looked forward to going home all because he wanted to get more work done. He could still do that now, but Wonho's voice keeps playing in his head, the way he sounded sad and worried impaled guilt within him. The guilt will just eat him up especially after knowing how disappointed Wonho will be in him.

So he goes elsewhere, someplace where home doesn't remind him of his pathetic self when he can't drown himself in exhaustion. He drives a little faster than intended and that's only because the road is fairly empty at this late hour of the night. 

He ends up finding himself parked by the side of the road of Banpo Bridge. He stares out for a moment before getting out of his car and going to the edge of the bridge. For the moment surprisingly his work isn't on his mind. He is however consumed with so many other things he was trying to avoid; he found these thoughts especially loud when he has nothing to do—alone. 

He knows pent up emotions are bad and of course he has the first-hand witness of what it does to someone but Hyungwon knows no other way. He knows he has support, love, and care from people around him yet he still feels hesitant, lost even. He doesn't know what he hates more—the fact that he refuses to ask for help or the fact that he would willingly torture himself only to have everyone worry to death.

He doesn't realize that his lips are trembling and that by this point he is holding onto the railing of the bridge, not because he is weak physically, but because he knows he isn't able to contain himself emotionally. 

Things are going fine—great even! So why does he still have this dreadful sinking feeling within himself? Hyungwon knows this must be the last straw for him because something's changed; its the fact that his breakdown is happening so much quicker now and he's having thoughts he's never once thought of before. Once he catches himself staring down at the eerily calm waters of Han River a little too long with menacing thoughts playing in his head he knows he doesn't trust himself to be alone, not at that moment.

He fishes out his phone and calls the one person he subconsciously thinks off. The ringing doesn't last long since the older male picks up after the first ring.

"Hoseok?" Hyungwon immediately says desperation is evident in his tone as he clutches onto his phone tight. 

"Baby? Why aren't you asleep?" Hoseok asks, clearly concerned. He looks to the clock beside his bed to see that it's past midnight.

"I—Hoseok..." Hyungwon whimpers and this immediately alarms the older. He sits up straight with high alert.

"Baby, Hyungwon? What's wrong?"

"Can—Can you come? I need you. I really—need you," he breathes, barely a whisper. He tries to keep the horrid thoughts out of his head and try to calm himself with the voice of the older male on the line. Luckily Wonho manages to catch each of his pleas.

"I'm coming, love. Don't worry, I'll be there soon, okay?" Wonho coaxes as gently as he can to soothe the younger who is clearly distressed about something.

"I—I'm not home."

"What?"

"I'm not at home." 

This scares Wonho even more. It is already late and to know that Hyungown isn't at the safe comfort of his home truly worries him. He tries not to let his distraught thoughts get to him while talking to Hyungwon. He exhales deeply before asking, "Baby where are you?"

"Banpo Bridge."

After the call ends, Hyungwon finds himself lost in a daze staring out at the hazy horizon. His thoughts as of now are just all over. They won't stay long enough for him to ponder because then new sorrowful thoughts will cloud the previous ones. He called Wonho, he knows the male will be here.... _then what?_ He didn't really think this through when he had made the call. He had only acted upon impulse when his thoughts seemed a little too much for him to handle.

When those familiar strong arms enclose both his sides from behind and the subtle scent of his woodsy cologne that always brings solace to him makes him feel thankful that he made the call. There is one thing certain, whenever in doubt he will always want Wonho to be there next to him to keep him grounded. 

Wonho nuzzles his nose against the younger's neck, planting a soft kiss on his shoulder. He doesn't rush with questions that will overwhelm the younger. For now, he wants him to know that the older is there with him. Hyungwon doesn't react at first other than his body stiffening. Wonho then sighs in relief when Hyungwon slowly relaxes in his hold and he leans back into his chest. The older places another kiss, this time behind his ear.

"Do you want to talk about it, my love?" Wonho asks carefully.

"I'm scared, _too_ ," Hyungwon admits softly after a while. He turns his Wonho's arms and instantly buries himself in the warm embrace. "I'm scared I'm going to lose myself again." Wonho tightens his hold around the younger, bringing him closer as he uses one of his hands to rub his back in comfort.

"That's not going to happen," Wonho tells him with certainty. "I'm not going to let that happen."

Hyungwon knows that Wonho will never let anything happen to him but really he doesn't know to what extent that he is able to keep these words. Yet he holds onto them, not out of obligation but because he truly wants to believe that Wonho will save him when he's drowning—again. 

* * *


	101. Chapter 101

* * *

"Black," Hyungwon mumbles with closed eyes. Wonho scoffs at that answer but the younger couldn't care less. It's his personal preference anyways. "What's yours then?"

"Red," Wonho answers somewhat proudly. This time it's Hyungwon's turn to scoff at the older's answer. 

"I thought you would say some superior color like Magenta," the younger retorts as he pulls the comforter up to his neck, soaking in the warmth and softness of the material. Wonho rolls closer to Hyungwon, laying on his abdomen as he looks up at the younger who still has his eyes closed.

"Magenta isn't a color," Wonho tells him. Hyungwon opens his eyes and stares down skeptically at the older male.

"Yes, it is."

"No, it isn't," Wonho argues back. "Google it." Hyungwon sits upright against the bed frame as he grabs his phone on the bedside table next to his. He googles his suspicion and instantly gasps at the result. _Magenta isn't a color_ , is the first thing the younger reads. "Fuck, what kind of a lie have I been living in?"

"Told you." 

Hyungwon clicks on an article and reads through that before grunting as he places his phone back on the table. "So it's not technically a color because it has no wavelength of its own? That's preposterous!"

"Well love, you learn something new every day." Hyungwon rolls his eyes, grumbling a breathy _'whatever'_. Wonho chuckles at his adorable fit as he wraps his arms around the younger's waist and rests his head on his lap.

"Let's move on from colors. How about middle school? Any infamous nicknames I don't know about? Or were you always known as a turtle?"

"Everyone calls me a turtle now because of Kihyun since uni days. People used to call me _Dooly_ back then," Hyungwon states, remembering back to the younger days in Gwangju.

"Dooly? Why?"

"You know the cartoon, _Dooly the Little Dinosaur_?" Wonho nods as he recalls one of the many cartoons he used to watch with his younger brother back home. "I had really chubby cheeks that sort of resembles Dooly, that's why," Hyungwon explains. 

Wonho crawls over and straddles the younger's legs that are covered with the comforter. Hyungwon can't help the sudden rush of heat to his cheeks at the full view of the older's naked upper half. He can't seem to get used to this habit of his walking around the house most of the time without any shirt on; somehow he always finds himself blushing a little too much and catches himself staring a little too long—with enough times of Wonho catching him doing so as well. 

Wonho reaches to cup both of Hyungwon's now slightly chubby cheeks between his large palms and squishes it. "I love your chubby cheeks," Wonho tells him then leans in to kiss each of his cheeks. Hyungwon giggles when the older's nose unintentionally tickles him.

"I love your nose," Hyungwon exclaims, kissing the mentioned feature tenderly.

"Well, have I ever told you how much I love your lips?" Wonho asks almost as though its a rhetorical question. Both of them know how they can't get enough of each other especially when they kiss. A small smirk plays on the younger's lips. Wonho leans in again. He places a faint kiss on his upper lip before he moves down to lick the younger's full lower lip and kiss that as well. Small shivers travel all throughout Hyungwon's body at the light tender feeling of the mere contact of their lips.

"Is it fair to say that I love yours too?" 

"Oh, do you now?" he teases with a sly grin, eyes twinkling as they are clouded with nothing but pure admiration for the male before him. He's so fucking lucky, he tells himself every day.

"If you tell me that you put some kind of addictive substance on them I might just believe you. They're so addicting," Hyungwon lowly mutters, their faces slowly coming closer once again. They stop with lips inches apart, feeling their own hot breaths mix with each other. They didn't go further, they didn't feel the need to. Simply by the way they look at each other, it manages to spread an earnest warmth throughout their chests. It's intoxicatingly overwhelming, to say the least. 

They could cry out of sheer euphoria. They could scream out of pride from how they easily understand each other's needs without having to say a word. They could even laugh at how just by a simple touch or their scant scent are enough to send their bodies on fire for more.

Hyungwon slowly bends his head down over the older's exposed chest and places a long, lingering kiss on the skin over his heart before he rests his head right over that spot. He listens to his slightly sped up heart rate. Hyungwon can tell by this point that his heartbeat matches the same accelerating speed.

"I love your kind heart," Hyungwon tells him softly. His fingertip lightly traces miscellaneous patterns over the skin. "It's so big and so gentle, filled with so much love and affection. You give out so much of yourself to everyone making sure we are all okay and cared for." Hyungwon lifts his gaze to settle on the older's with his hand over his soft cheek, cupping it delicately. "You're so sweet, so precious." 

Wonho can't bring himself to say anything. Instead, he wraps arms around Hyungwon's tiny body, clinging close to him whilst burying his head in the crook of the younger's neck. They stay like that for a while in each other's arms, exchanging silent kisses on their skins other than their own lips.

And it's moments like this when they truly understand that it is okay if they don't utter words like _"I'm head over heels for you"_ or _"You are my everything"_ to make their relationship somewhat superficial. They don't need a tangible validation approved by people that whatever they feel for each other is real and it's going to last. They don't even know if it'll last, but they do know that this—whatever it is they have—this is real.

For now, they hold on to little kisses, light touches, and small talks; they establish those as their own kind of intimacy. It's not much, nothing too extreme, yet they're satisfied. They know that this is all it takes to make their hearts race fast enough and they understand that maybe—just maybe they do love each other and have yet to confess it.

* * *


	102. Chapter 102

* * *

**Bunny♥**

**Hyungwon:**  
lee hoseok

 **Bunny♥:**  
good morning baby  
you're up early

 **Hyungwon:**  
i woke up to an empty bed...  
it's the fucking weekend lee hoseok where would you be at 5 am??

**Bunny♥:**

**Hyungwon:**  
fuck  
ok you're forgiven

 **Bunny♥:**  
works every time 😌

 **Hyungwon:**  
no hold up  
you're working out shirtless?

 **Bunny♥:**  
well

 **Hyungwon:**  
put a shirt on or something

 **Bunny♥:**  
but love

 **Hyungwon:**  
or i could drive there and make you wear one

 **Bunny♥:**  
i mean that doesn't sound so bad🤷‍♂️

 **Hyungwon:**  
watch me bring you a shirt, a hoodie and a scarf and make sure you finish a full session in those  
you would love that wouldn't you :)

**Bunny♥️:**

**Hyungwon:**  
wasn't so hard wasn't it  
also you didn't have to flex that hard for the picture  
you've already won me over in so many other ways

 **Bunny♥:**  
just reminding you that every inch of these muscles are yours

 **Hyungwon:**  
how fortunate of me  
i'm going back to sleep now  
5 am is too fucking early

 **Bunny♥:**  
sleep well my love

 **Hyungwon:**  
come back safe hoseok

 **Bunny♥:**  
don't worry love, i will ❤

**▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █ █ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁**

Wonho returns around an hour and a half after his session with much eagerness knowing that he would not be coming home to an empty place—at least not this weekend. Hyungwon had come over after their dinner date last night and decided to spend the night together. They had a couple of glasses of red wine and went to bed mildly drunk, sharing arbitrary giggles and a few intense makeout sessions.

He places his gym bag in his office and walks into his bedroom where his sleeping boyfriend is comfortably wrapped in the thick comforter. An unconscious smile tugs up his lips at the soft sight. He closes the door behind him and removes his tank top leaving him in just his shorts before he carefully climbs into bed.

His eyes scan over the littered reddish-purple bruises all along the younger's neck and shoulder and he smirks knowing that his own skin is littered with the same marks. The older male smiles wider seeing the cute pout on the younger's thick lips, a habit he realizes the younger does when sleeping. He couldn't help but place a kiss right on those lips then he places another one on the younger's fuller cheek. Hyungwon stirs a little before opening his eyes. He flutters it for a second to get a clearer vision of the older.

"You better have showered this time," Hyungwon mumbles hoarsely, sleep thickly evident in his voice. Wonho chuckles to that remembering how he had tackled him into a hug when he was all sweaty after a session. He slips inside the comforter and embraces the younger from behind, nuzzling his nose in the crook of his neck as he pulls him close to his chest.

"I did, don't worry," Wonho reassures. Hyungwon turns in his arms to snuggle deeper into the older's chest where he always finds his solace; Hyungwon's own safe cocoon. The younger hums in satisfaction at the strong scent of the shower gel used.

"Rose," Hyungwon mutters with a small smile, rubbing his nose against the smooth skin to get more of the scent. "I like it."

"I know you do," Wonho snickers.

"What time is it?"

"About a quarter to seven." Hyungwon nods in his chest. "Sleep a little more, love. I'll go prepare breakfast for us." Hyungwon whines, immediately wrapping his own arms around the older male's waist. He tangles his legs with Wonho's and locks it, making sure he wouldn't be able to leave.

"Stay. Don't go—please," Hyungwon says, the desperate plea is heard by the other to which he complies without the slightest hesitation. He kisses the crown of the younger's head and coaxes him back to sleep gently.

Wonho thought that it would only take seconds for the younger to slip back into slumber he thought wrong when he feels the sudden hot raged breaths fanning against his chest accompanied by trickles of drops trailing down and that's when he slowly realizes the heavy rising and falling of Hyungwon's body in his arms. He moves away a little to take a better look and sees the younger with tight shut eyes but with tears leaking out of them. His lips tremble slightly but Hyungwon is doing everything not to open his eyes as he, too, tries to go back to sleep.

This isn't Wonho's first time experiencing Hyungwon bursting out into tears out of nowhere so it doesn't faze him as much but every new time it happens it only breaks the older's heart more knowing Hyungwon still feels the pain of losing someone so precious to him. He knows very well that no amount words or even kisses can patch up the gash in Hyungwon's heart. It will take so much time for it to heal and that too there is no guarantee that the scars left behind will never be a reminder to the younger.

"You'll be okay," Wonho whispers into Hyungwon's ear before planting a kiss on the tip. Hyungwon lets out a small staggered cry before biting his lips once again to stop himself. "My precious baby." The older then feels the trembling lips set itself on his collarbone where a lingering kiss is placed before Hyungwon's nose snugs in the crook of his neck, hugging him so close. Wonho gives him the comfort and reassurance the younger needs as much as he can offer he willingly will and so he holds the younger tight until he feels the body in his arm relax and the tears stop flowing.

"I love you," Wonho confesses to the younger's sleeping state—the only time he ever has the courage to say these words and for now he is content with it. Having Hyungwon in his arms is more than enough for Wonho.

* * *


	103. Chapter 103

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
it's going to be 3 years soon  
it'll also be 3 years since i first texted you  
i knew i wasn't in my right state of mind that night when i sent my first text especially when it was only a few hours since i came back from the hospital after seeing you one last time  
somehow the feeling, that void of returning home alone never really left   
the sinking feeling in my chest will always be there  
the dread of coming home to an eerie silence is daunting  
you know me, loneliness was something i was used to, it was even something i craved for  
how did i ever like this feeling before? it's so suffocating and empty   
what did you do to me minhyuk?  
 _Sent✔  
 **.  
**_ _ **.  
.**_

sometimes i do wake up with raging anxiety and i check my phone frantically, afraid that i missed a text or two from you  
sometimes i catch myself doing the small habits i developed when you were here like placing the ramens at the lower cabinet since you used to complain about them being too high for you to reach  
or how i would always sleep on the right side of the bed since you wanted to sleep on the left so that the sun wouldn't get your face in the morning  
i guess what is truly heartbreaking is the realization that i don't have to keep up with these habits anymore  
but those were what made us special right? and maybe that's why i don't have the heart to forget it and just let it go even after all these years  
just because it's going to be 3 years doesn't mean things are getting any easier  
some days i feel a little bit happier and i think maybe i will get through this  
but other days i think i'm wrong and i wonder how i will get through my whole life without you  
i want the day to come where missing you won't be draining, where crying over you won't exhaust me to the point where i don't want to do anything or see anyone  
i'm waiting for the day where i'll be alright without you by my side  
 _Sent✔_

* * *


	104. Chapter 104

* * *

The soft kisses being placed by the side of Hyungwon's face and neck are what brought him out of his deep thoughts. He turns to face Wonho who gives him a grin before pecking the younger's plump lips. "You were lost in your thoughts again," Wonho tells him. Hyungwon mouths an 'O' and just sighs. This isn't the first time today or even the whole week where Wonho had caught him staring into nothing. It even happened when they were spending time together where the younger would suddenly go silent only to realize he was lost in his own daze.

"Care to let me in on your thoughts?"

"I'm alright," Hyungwon tells him which isn't exactly a convincing answer—not to Wonho anymore at least. 

"And I'm straight," Wonho scoffs back. The younger raised a brow at that remark. 

"I clearly remember you telling me that you're only gay because of me," Hyungwon pointed out as he pokes his bony index finger at the older's hard chest.

"Still, I'm not technically straight," Wonho tells him. Hyungwon rolls his eyes at the older's answer. "So tell me, what's been bothering you?" Wonho asks once again as he cards through the younger's hair, gaze softening but never leaving his dark orbs. 

_It's so captivating_ , Hyungown thinks. Just a single glance can make his stomach rupture with butterflies and just the tender touch of his lips on his bare skin can send shock waves of pleasure through his veins. It's refreshing really, a feeling he tends to crave for more and more each day.

Hyungwon wouldn't exactly say the thoughts he had were bothering him, it was more of doubt if he was making the right decision. It's the bigger question of if he is committed _enough_ to take this step. 

Hyungwon thinks a lot—so he's been told by many—and he also tends to overthink a little too much then intended. And if he is being honest most of his thoughts almost always ponder back to _Lee Minhyuk_. It was inevitable that the older male was gone but that seems to always be the reason why Hyungwon has him in his thoughts. Since he couldn't have him here physically, why can't he just live and thrive in his mind?

However, the thoughts these days surprisingly aren't about Minhyuk—not entirely—but they are mostly about Wonho, and him, and their relationship.

"Let's move in together," Hyungwon breathes out, softer than he had intended as the nerves got the better of him. He feels Wonho stiffen beside him. His hands stop playing through his hair as they drop to his lap.

"What did you say?"

"You know what—maybe—" He gets cut off midway when Wonho lifts his chin up, making sure his gaze is focused on him. 

"Baby, it's okay. Just tell me," Wonho coaxes gently. 

"Let's—Let's move in together," Hyungwon repeats much clearer this time. Wonho gives him a small smile, thumb gently caressing his cheekbone.

"Love, I know I've talked about this to you before and you know I would love to, but I don't want you to agree on this out of obligation. I want you to be sure and it doesn't have to be rushed," Wonho tells him with so much reassurance. 

Hyungwon finds it hard to resists him anymore. He reaches up and claims the older's lips who almost instantly move in the same rhythm as his. Wonho pulls the younger's onto his lap, resting both his hands on his slim waist, pulling him so much closer to his body to deepen the kiss. When they pull apart Wonho's arms are still protectively around Hyungwon while Hyungwon moves his arms up around Wonho's neck keeping their proximity close. 

"I am very sure," Hyungwon tells him. "I promised you before that I won't push myself and I'm not. I'm ready to take this step with you."

The smile on Wonho's face is every bit worth Hyungwon finally telling him his decision. He knew this isn't a mistake. Hyungwon leans in to plant a kiss on the older's nose as he mirrors his wide smile.

"You have no idea how happy you made me," Wonho beams. 

"Show me," Hyungwon says, tugging the older closer to him. "Maybe I might know how much then." And it only takes Wonho seconds to capture the younger's thick bottom lip between his teeth, lightly biting it causing a small moan to elicit from Hyungwon. Wonho takes this opportunity to slip his tongue in, fully kissing him. The kiss gets heated fast pretty quickly. Wonho's hands manage to slip under Hyungwon's shirt roaming around his warm body while Hyungwon does all he can to keep their bodies closer.

"We're on your couch," Hyungwon whispers breathlessly when they pull away to breathe. The swollen lips right at Wonho's sight riles him up even more like as if the makeout session didn't do enough.

"That didn't stop us before," Wonho teases, fingers tracing light circles under the shirt on the younger's bare skin leaving him trembling in pleasure. Hyungwon whines and he couldn't really tell if it's the embracement of what Wonho said or it's the fact that Wonho is so close to his sensitive spot yet he somehow always misses it.

"Shall we take this to the bedroom then, my love?"

"You perverted little bunny," Hyungwon huffed, blushing crimson by the older's suggestion. Wonho smirks as in one swift movement he manages to carry Hyungwon bridal-style in his arms as he stands up from the couch. Hyungwon yelps, wrapping his arms tightly around the older's neck. "Hoseok put me down!" Hyungwon squeaks.

"Should I remind you just how _little_ this bunny really is?" 

Hyungwon knows he's in it for tonight.

* * *


	105. Chapter 105

* * *

** Oi❌ **

**Bunny♥:**  
are you guys otw?

**Ki🐹:**

if these 2 would stop fooling around then maybe we can make it there before the sun goes down

 **Hyungwon:**  
that's a fucking exaggeration   
i already have most of my things in the car🙄

 **Ki🐹:  
** your definition of "most" must be different from mine

 **Nunu🐻:  
 _@Ki🐹_** i need your help upstairs  
and changkyun please bring your puppy with you it doesn't want to leave my side

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:  
** that means he loves you hyung!

 **Bunny♥:  
** owh changkyun you got a puppy?

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:  
** it's not actually mine  
i'm looking after it for a friend

 **Ki🐹:  
** i don't understand why you didn't just leave the puppy at home

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:  
** i left him alone once for about 20 mins? yea he chewed one of my pillows off  
so i brought him here because i know we'll take hours with the moving  
plus he's a great company!

 **Ki🐹:  
** not when he's trying to bite me

 **Nunu🐻:  
** he seems overly attached with me tho

 **Hyungwon:**  
that just seems to be a yoo problem🤷‍♂️

 **Ki🐹:  
** i'm going to pretend that that's a typo

 **Hyungwon:**  
whatever makes you happy

 **Nunu🐻:  
** okay seriously guys get off your phones if you want to get hyungwon's things to hoseok's place in a few hours  
changkyun please get the pup   
and hyungwon you can load the remaining boxes i left downstairs

 **Bunny♥:  
** sounds like you guys have a lot on your hands

**Ki🐹:**

**Bunny♥:  
** moving is a headache

 **Hyungwon:**  
tell me about it

 **Bunny♥:**  
i like how there's a random coffee on the floor right there

 **Hyungwon:**  
thank you :)  
i placed it there for aesthetic purposes

 **Ki🐹:**  
 ** _@Bunny♥_** you see what i have to deal with

 **Nunu🐻:  
** hyugnwon  
boxes  
now

 **Hyungwon:**  
coming coming

 **Bunny♥:  
** i could come by and help once i'm done with the client

 **Ki🐹:  
** 4 pairs of hands are actually enough if 2 of those pairs actually help

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
hyung i did help :/  
i even got the pup out of the way!

 **Hyungwon:**  
i feel offended

 **Ki🐹:  
** no you don't

 **Hyungwon:**  
;p

 **Bunny♥:  
** baby why didn't you just get a moving truck to help you with this?

 **Hyungwon:**  
because i have friends :)

 **Nunu🐻:  
** he told us there won't be many things

 **Hyungwon:**  
you're making it seem like i lied hyung...

 **Ki🐹:  
** those boxes tell a different story  
also why didn't you just move into hyungwon's place, wonho?  
his place is much bigger

 **Bunny♥:  
** we did talk about that but hyungwon wanted to move into mine  
i am fine with either really

 **Hyungwon:**  
it's just not home here anymore  
this house is too big for me anyways 

**Ki🐹:  
** i guess i understand  
whatever makes the both of you happy :)

 **Bunny♥:  
** :)  
should i drop by just in case you guys need an extra hand?

 **Ki🐹:  
** we're all good here  
we should be done no longer than an hour or two  
 **.  
.  
.**  
i spoke too soon  
wonho please tell your boyfriend to stop playing with the puppy 😑

 **Bunny♥:  
** baby?

 **Hyungwon:**  
he wanted attention🥺

* * *


	106. Chapter 106

* * *

** Oi❌ **

**Hyungwon:  
  
**

he's pretty beat  
poor kihyun :(

  
 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
oh hyung :(

 **Bunny♥:**  
why is he sleeping on the floor?

 **Hyungwon:**  
not too sure  
i mean there is a couch right next to him  
i went to grab a snack and came back to see him sleeping on the floor  
hold up imma carry him up to his room

 **Bunny♥:**  
you can carry him?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i will _try_ to carry him

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
careful not to drop him!

 **Hyungwon:**  
have faith in me🙏  
 **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
it's been a while

 **Bunny♥:**  
15 minutes to be exact

 **Nunu🐻:**  
maybe he did drop him on the stairs

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
you really think so?

 **Bunny♥:**  
i mean i do have my doubts  
no offense baby

 **Hyungwon:**  
i will have you know that i transported him safely with no scratches whatsoever  
thank you very much for having so much faith in me   
😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃

 **Nunu🐻:**  
i knew you could do it

 **Hyungwon:**  
sure🙂  


also i'm a really good friend to change him out of his hamster onesie  
he's comfy now :))

 **Bunny♥:**  
my caring baby <3  
what time will you be back?

 **Hyungwon:**  
depends what time kihyun wakes up  
we still have a little more to discuss than we should be done with the agreement

 **Nunu🐻:**  
i still wonder how you convinced your father to choose kihyun's law firm

 **Hyungwon:**  
i may or may not have suggested kihyun's law firm a few times to him  
and i might've slipped in a pamphlet or two of his law firm too

 **Nunu🐻:**  
you slick walnut

 **Hyungwon:**  
;p  
i know i'm being biased but i really trust kihyun and when i do take over the company i will feel at ease knowing kihyun is there to help

 **Nunu🐻:**  
yea i get what you mean

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
🙋‍♂️ i got a question

 **Bunny♥:**  
this is not a classroom changkyun

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
i do lowkey miss school tho hyung

 **Bunny♥:**  
you mean you miss raising your hand to ask questions?

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
i mean we don't get to do that now...

 **Hyungwon:**  
i would've understood if you said you missed your friends  
but raising your hand at school...

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
to be fair i spend way more time with you guys then my school friends🤷‍♂️  
anyways i wanna ask why kihyun hyung has on a hamster onesie?

 **Hyungwon:**  
he was already wearing that when i came  
i didn't him question  
 _Read✔✔  
_ **.**  
 **.**  
 **.**

 **Ki🐹:**  
he dropped me

 **Bunny♥:**  
wHat

 **Hyungwon:**  
😒  
maybe i should've just dropped you

 **Ki🐹:**  
honestly  
i am sometimes afraid of being alone with hyungwon at home

 **Hyungwon:**  
HONESTLY  
I AM SOMETIMES AFRAID OF BEING ALONE WITH HYUNGWON AT HOME

 **Ki🐹:**  
wonho you can have your boyfriend back

 **Hyungwon:**  
nahh i was thinking about spending the night with my bestie🥰

 **Ki🐹:**  
please don't call us besties

 **Hyungwon:**  
my bff💙

 **Bunny♥:**  
...

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
🙋‍♂️

 **Ki🐹:**  
yes changkyun?

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
do they have a wolf onesie too?

 **Hyungwon:**  
 ** _@Bunny♥_** sweets i want a frog onesie

 **Bunny♥:**  
you want a frog onesie...

 **Hyungwon:**  
yes yes

 **Bunny♥:**  
why would you need a frog onesie?

 **Ki🐹:**  
there's actually a bear, bunny, wolf and turtle onesie!

 **Hyungwon:**  
oh baby, you can get the bunny onesie!!!!!!!  
and shownu hyung can take the bear one  
i don't mind settling for the turtle one

 **Nunu🐻:**  
i am not going to wear a onesie

 **Ki🐹:**  
hyungwon and i can go buy them for you all :))  
our present to you

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
i'm getting a wolf onesie😆

 **Nunu🐻:**  
here ladies and gentlemen are the future CEO of a company and the owner of a successful law firm

 **Bunny♥:**  
i sometimes question HOW

* * *


	107. Chapter 107

* * *

**Ki🐹**

**Hyungwon:**  
hyung

 **Ki🐹:**  
oh something must've happened

 **Hyungwon:**  
why would you assume that?

 **Ki🐹:**  
you never use the term 'hyung' loosely unless you're with Shownu  
besides i've known you for ages now and you only ever call me _hyung_ when something is really wrong

 **Hyungwon:**  
i wouldn't say that something is wrong

 **Ki🐹:**  
did you and Wonho get into a fight?

 **Hyungwon:**  
no no nothing like that

 **Ki🐹:**  
what's wrong Wonnie?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i miss you

 **Ki🐹:**  
now you're really worrying me

 **Hyungwon:**  
:(  
don't you miss me?

 **Ki🐹:**  
how do i start this...  
this might be the second or third time in our entire friendship that you've told me you miss me

 **Hyungwon:**  
are you trying to say that i can't miss my bestie?

 **Ki🐹:**  
i forbid you from ever using the term bestie with me!  
no bestie!   
no bff!   
no best friends forever and ever and ever!

 **Hyungwon:**  
best friends forever is bff... ??

 **Ki🐹:**  
you get my point🙄  
it's forbidden

 **Hyungwon:**  
but i don't get your first point :/

 **Ki🐹:**  
i'm worried hyungwon  
like extremely  
you don't have to use all these words to show your affection with me   
you and i both know this  
so when you suddenly tell me that you miss me? i'm flattered and all but that's really not you, at least not to me  
you don't act that way with me  
did something happen?

 **Hyungwon:**  
nothing happened it's just can we meet sometime next week?

 **Ki🐹:**  
of course we can but what's wrong  
don't keep me wondering like this for the whole week  
i'm already worried as it is

 **Hyungwon:**  
i really think i could use a friend to talk to

 **Ki🐹:**  
you know i'm always here for you

 **Hyungwon:**  
i know  
i didn't mean to worry you  
it's nothing bad i promise

 **Ki🐹:**  
don't apologize hyungwon it's fine  
call me if you need anything

 **Hyungwon:**  
i will

 **Ki🐹:**  
take care!

 **Hyungwon:**  
you too kihyun

* * *


	108. Chapter 108

* * *

"Should I pick you up after my session?" Wonho asks the younger once he stops right outside the entrance of Yongsan Family Park where he and Kihyun had planned to meet. Hyungwon thinks for a moment before nodding.

"If it's not much trouble..."

"You know it's never," Wonho tells him with a bright smile. Hyungwon takes his seatbelt off and leans over to Wonho to give him a kiss. Hyungwon makes sure to give a long, deep kiss.

"Be careful, okay?" he tells the older.

"You too, my love. Just call me if you need me to leave early, okay? I'll come right away." Hyungwon gives him an appreciative smile and leans in to give him another kiss before he gets out of the car. 

* * *

**Ki🐹**

**Ki🐹:**

i'm here waiting by the bench

 **Hyungwon:**  
on my way 

* * *

"Did you wait long?" Hyungwon settles beside Kihyun on the bench that overlooks the giant statue of the hand made out of roof tiles right across from the pond.

"Not too long," Kihyun reassures him. "I bought us coffee while I was waiting." Kihyun hands over the younger's favorite iced-Americano that he (apparently) swears he can't live without.

"So, how have you been?" Kihyun asks him then takes a sip of his own iced latte. Hyungwon sighs, placing the cup of his cold beverage beside him.

"I'm alright. Works been work, you know?" Kihyun nods in understanding. "What about you? I can't think that working with my father is any easy. It's been what—two weeks since the agreement?"

"You're right, it isn't," Kihyun sighs this time. "Honestly, kudos to you for being able to stand him. I am this close—" Kihyun brings up his index finger and thumb and closes the gap between them. "—this close to telling him off." Hyungwon snickers knowing how low Kihyun's patience actually is and he wonders how the older male had managed to stay composed without turning red in irritation all in the presence of his father. 

"You have another three years or so to deal with him," Hyungwon informs him with a hint of amusement laced in his tone as pats Kihyun's back. The older male just rolls his eyes. He knows he has to suck it up and go along with everything Mr. Chae wants him to do in order for this partnership to last. 

"Moving past that—how are you holding up _now_?" Kihyun asks this time, his tone evidently lower and much more serious. It didn't take long for Hyungwon to really understand what his friend meant. His gaze slowly falls to the slightly watered down Americano before staring out to the statue in front. 

"I—I don't know really," Hyungwon admits softly honestly. He promised himself to be open with Kihyun today, maybe not entirely but a little more than he would've in the past. 

Hyungwon knows he has Wonho by his side and he knows Wonho would listen and comfort him the best he can; that doesn't mean he doesn't appreciate all the effort the older does for him. Wonho has helped him so much in this healing process. Yet, there are still some things that Hyungwon finds better to confide in Kihyun especially considering matters only both of them would understand thoroughly since they've gone through the emotional turmoil together.

"Sometimes I think I'm okay but sometimes I—" Hyungwon pauses, hesitation starting to seep in as he tries to open up more to his friend. "Sometimes I don't think I am."

"You feel guilty, don't you?" Kihyun appends and Hyungwon nods without the slightest doubt. He can try and deny all of his feelings that he cleverly stored away where it is easily forgotten (or ignored) but he sure can identify those emotions instantly when mentioned. It's almost like those hidden emotions are screaming to be acknowledged by their ignorant owner. 

"You feel guilty because you're here living your life while Minhyuk can't. And you also feel guilty because you're with Wonho now." Hyungwon's head only lowers at the last statement, confirming Kihyun's every word. 

Even if he doesn't want to admit it, deep down inside he knows that it is true. He understands that Minhyuk is gone and he is aware that Minhyuk is his past. But Hyungwon feels like they didn't end it right. It ended when it wasn't meant to, like it all happened rashly, barely given a moment to process anything properly. 

"I don't mean to feel that way. I hate myself for even thinking like that."

"It's not your fault to feel like that, Wonnie," Kihyun consoles as he moves closer to the younger. He placing his hand on his back, gently rubbing it in comfort. 

"I put Hoseok through so much because of this," Hyungwon mutters, his voice dripping with heavy remorse.

"Knowing Wonho, he's never blamed you, has he?" Hyungwon shakes his head this time. "That's because he understands. He understands that you lost someone you love and it is not that easy to let it go simply."

"Do you ever—Do you ever think about texting him?" Hyungwon asks softly this time. He doesn't plan on admitting this habit he's picked up three years ago, but he does want to know whether he is the only one doing it.

"Sometimes... It's like a habit, you know?" Hyungwon nods his head. He understands what the older is trying to say.

"Have you ever _sent_ a text?"

"I almost did a few times. Strangely enough, I still have his contact saved. I just can't bring myself to delete it. Even the old group chat we had—it didn't feel right to just remove him."

"I have his number saved too."

"I never got around to sending a text because I know I'm only hurting myself by doing so." Hyungwon instantly frowns to this as he turns to look at the shorter male. 

"What do you mean?" Hyungwon questions, genuinely confused. "Don't you think it helps cope with the loss?"

"Maybe, I guess? But wouldn't it hurt more knowing he won't reply?" 

This stabs right at Hyungwon's heart because he knows first-hand how that _hurt_ feels. Of course, he knew deep inside Minhyuk would never answer when he sent the first text yet he hoped—he wanted a fucking miracle after witnessing Minhyuk flatlined before him.

He doesn't remember when it started becoming a habit, a constant need to get validation from someone who no longer can give it to him. Even when reality slaps him in the face multiple times from not getting any replies back, he can't find himself to stop. He wants things to be _normal_ , even when he knows they can't be.

"Hey," Kihyun calls, bringing Hyungwon back from his wandering daze. Hyungwon's gaze falls upon the other male who gives him a small smile. "You know there is no set rule of when or how we should move on. It's okay to take it at your own pace. And you know what's even better? The fact that you have Wonho beside you; supporting you, encouraging you. Not many have the privilege to have such an understanding partner." 

Hyungwon is lucky, so lucky. He is reminded of how lucky he is to be with Wonho whenever he wakes up to the sight of the older holding him close even in his deep sleep, or when the older would pamper him with kisses out of nowhere. To be able to feel his comforting embrace when Hyungwon has his breakdowns and the patience he has to deal with Hyungwon overall—Hyungwon is fucking lucky.

"I know you're afraid of letting go, I was too. I was so afraid... Do you know why?" Hyungwon shakes his head.

"Initially, I was afraid because I didn't know how to go on with life without him since I was so used to having him around all the time. But, when I really looked at it, I was truly afraid because I didn't want to make it seem like I have forgotten Minhyuk altogether by living life like I'm supposed to. It feels wrong, doesn't it, to go on living without him even when we know that's what he would want us to do?"

Hyungwon nods silently as the hot tears that had brimmed in his eyes finally trails down, tainting his pale cheeks with tear tracks. When he hears the sniffle in front of him, that's when he realizes that Kihyun is crying too. The older male has bloodshot eyes just like him and Hyungwon sees the clear pain behind those glassy orbs.

"We love him and Minhyuk loved us, he wouldn't want us to hold onto this forever if all it's going to do is hurt us," Kihyun tells him. "Hyungwon, letting go doesn't mean you love Minhyuk any less than you did before. Letting go doesn't mean forgetting."

The two friends hug as more of their tears fall silently onto each other's shoulders. They hadn't expected this kind of closure but they are grateful that they found it by confiding in each other.

He never knew he needed to hear these words, not until Kihyun had told him today. Hyungwon understands now that he has to let Minhyuk go because he loves him.

* * *


	109. Chapter 109

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
i took a few days to really think over what kihyun and i had talked about the other day  
naturally, i thought of kihyun when i needed to talk to someone because he knows me better than anyone  
and i really never expected to go over the things we did  
when we talked i realized then and there why i never opened up to him or anyone before  
i was afraid  
i was afraid of admitting the emotions i tried to hide all these while not because i was embarrassed but because talking about it makes me relive all those horrid emotions all over  
they aren't pleasant and so very dark to the point where it scares me that i could even think of such thoughts  
deep down inside i knew the things i was doing wasn't right yet i justified it to be alright because it was _you_  
i used you as my reason  
you were my excuse for my pathetic behavior all because i was afraid  
 _Sent✔  
_ **.  
.  
.**  
when you left texting you seemed like a convenient escape from everything but the emptiness never really went away yet i still did it and continue to do so because it masks these feelings momentarily  
there are days now where i think what if i just stopped sending you all these messages altogether, will things really be okay?  
but the anxiety and even panic that comes along with these thoughts tell me i will not be okay   
it's like i conditioned this habit to act as my coping mechanism, a means to keep me somewhat sane and the mere thought of taking all this away might just drive me insane in the end  
i made myself believe that there really isn't a life worth living if i stopped texting you  
 _Sent✔  
 **.  
.  
.**_

something's changed minhyuk  
i'm not scared of whether i can or can't text you anymore  
i'm scared of what i'll become when i stop texting you  
 _Sent✔_

* * *


	110. Chapter 110

* * *

It is something about looking over the whole lit city of Seoul from afar that somehow eases the younger's constant buzzing mind. To be completely honest he had momentarily forgotten that this place even existed. He doesn't know how he could let a precious memory such as visiting the **Naksan Park** simply fade away. His eyes do a slow scan over the tall skyscrapers before they focus on the much shorter ones—each and everyone one has a light of their own, making the horizon before him bright. He likes how the city is so busy yet the unsymmetrical structures and chaos of it all somehow comes together in a nice harmony. 

Hyungwon had planned to come to this park for a few days now and he finally took the time today since he had managed to get a decent amount of work done. He, of course, hadn't planned to stay long. Initially, he had just wanted to walk around and end the night by staring out the chaotic city by The Seoul City Wall before he goes home to his boyfriend who he knows will not be at rest until the moment Hyungwon steps foot into their home. 

The plan wasn't flawed one bit—Hyungown gets the solitary peace of mind he wanted and he didn't have to worry anyone... if only he had kept to the time. He didn't think he was out at the park for that long. He hadn't noticed the decrease of people around him as he had completely zoned out everything besides his thoughts and his focus on the scenery. 

Hyungwon didn't realize how far away he was from reality itself not until the familiar scent of home— constituting of leather with a sweet hint of vanilla— discretely lingers somewhere behind him before it slowly advances closer and soon enough he smells it just beneath his nose. 

At that moment he feels those strong pair of arms that never fails to keep him grounded even in the most distressing times of his life. The gentle graze of his nose just below the nape of Hyungwon's ear causing slight tingles to ripple through his body and the instant wave of contentment that courses through him once those familiar lips place itself on the same spot, Hyungown is assured safe whether it'd be from the night or from himself. 

"How did you know I was here?" he asks as he leans more into his chest.

"Changkyun told me I could find you here." Hyungwon nods, not the slightest bit surprised. It was Changkyun who had introduced Hyungwon to this spot about ten years ago. This was one of the very first places Hyungwon visited when he had first moved to Seoul and it used to be a place where he and Changkyun would frequently visit years ago.

"You know when you said you'll be back late tonight, I didn't expect you to be out here until _this_ late." When it hit Hyungwon that he had in fact lost track of his time he turns his head slightly to look at the older male over his shoulder.

"What time is it?"

"Close to two," Wonho answers, and Hyungwon's eyes instantly widen in sheer shock. How did he let himself drift off and lose track of time until two in the morning?

"Fuck—I—Shit, I'm so sorry Hoseok!" Hyungwon apologizes guiltily knowing how worried he must've been. "I really didn't mean to stay out here for so long—" Wonho stops Hyungwon from talking by kissing his cheeks then flashing him a smile.

"You're okay, that's what matters," Wonho reassures. "Just please, next time do tell me where you are going and maybe try to come home not as late as today." Hyungwon mutters _'I will'_ and goes on to apologize a few more times. After a few more kisses of reassurance, they both settle into a comfortable silence as they look over Seoul together. 

Hyungwon's focus suddenly shifts to the hands that are holding his securely; they are not as long as his but large enough that it seems almost like a perfect fit. He watches how Wonho would subconsciously caress his thumb over the younger's hand practically like a habit he has developed. Wonho doesn't need to do much to show that he truly cares for the younger. If people would just stop and observe all the little things he does, it speaks volumes than intense kisses and color-marked skins could ever show.

"What if I lose myself again and it's much worst than before?" Hyungwon questions which takes the older aback by this sudden thought. He turns Hyungwon to look at him with a frown already etched on his face. 

"Baby, why would you think that?"

"Because I think it will happen."

"What made you think of this in the first place?"

"I want to let go of everything that's holding me back from moving on, but I can't," Hyungwon starts. This should lighten the older's heart knowing that the younger is trying and really wants to move forward yet the tone that lingers with those words doesn't settle well with him. He sounds lost like he doesn't have any hope whatsoever.

"Kihyun said there's no set rule of when or how we should move on, but Hoseok, what if I can never move on? What if I let go and I completely lose myself by doing so?"

"That won't happen—"

"How would you know? How sure are you?" Hyungwon snaps unintentionally. He sighs and mumbles a soft _'sorry'_ but Wonho just shakes his head. The older pulls the younger closer to him then gently caresses his cheek, telling him _it's okay_.

"It happened back then when I was slowly trying to move forward with myself. And I feel it happening again now. What if I really can't let go?" Hyungwon tells him as his eyes lowered to the ground. 

Wonho says, "Kihyun's right; there isn't a set rule on how one should move on. Sure, some people tend to move on when the pain no longer affects them anymore, but it doesn't mean that that's the only time you can or should let go." 

He places his finger under Hyungwon's chin and lifts it up so his gaze settles on the older's once again. He sees the overflowing emotions swimming in those pools of brown but above all, he sees the prominent fear present right in the middle of all the disarray. Hyungwon is scared and Wonho sees it clearly.

"Sometimes you just have tolet go because that's what's best for _you_. For you, you know that holding on now is only killing you slowly inside and if you continue like this you'll really lose yourself in the future not because you decided to let go later but because you still held onto it."

"But it hurts; even just the thought of it all hurts so much," Hyungwon tells him so softly. His visions are slowly getting blurred from the tears pooling in his eyes. If you were to tell all these to Hyungwon three years ago or heck maybe even a year ago he wouldn't mind getting sucked into this dark wormhole and he would wait for the moment where he would fully drown. 

But now, Hyungwon is genuinely afraid. He knows he's sinking in the sea he created, it's filled with his own raw emotions; sometimes he's able to swim through it, and other times he finds himself stuck, drowning and screaming for help.

"I'm scared, Hoseok. What if I'll never be okay, again?"

Wonho brings the younger in for a hug to which Hyungwon immediately clings onto. He hugs the older man tight, willing himself not to cry.

Wonho, of course, has his fair share of worry that Hyungwon would have another downfall and what if his next breakdown might just be _it_. The last one seemed a whole lot worst than the first one he witnessed and according to Kihyun, it's only getting worst as it keeps happening. Just the mere thought of losing Hyungwon like _this_ breaks him. 

"My love, thinking about it may seem unbearable and scary but that pain isn't going to last forever. You might cry for days, weeks even but you will be okay." Wonho leans away to look at Hyungwon. He gently grazes his thumb over the younger's lashes to wipe the tears that have yet to fall.

"What do I do then? Where do I go from here?"

"You don't think you've made any progress from when we first met?" Hyungwon gives him an unconvinced look as he wipes his lightly wet eyes with the back of his hands before he shakes his head adamantly. To Hyungwon it just seems like he's been in a constant loop where it's either he's let himself down or he's let others down. 

Wonho gives him a small smile instead. "Remember the first time we met?" 

How could he not? As awful as he was, he will always remember how persistent the older was and how stubborn the younger equally was. 

"We were a mess to begin with everything that's happened between us."

"It's like we're a disaster waiting to happen," Hyungwon mumbles dejectedly looking back at it. He still wonders how the older is still here in front of him even after all he's put him through almost two years ago— it's not like he is making it any easier now for him as well.

"Maybe," Wonho agrees placidly. 

"But look at it this way, my love, with time you slowly approached me on your own. Later on, you told me you liked me on your own accord when you felt you were emotionally and mentally ready. Fast forward from all the memorable dates and times we've spent together, now we're living together," he concludes with a bright smile. 

"We may not have the perfect, easy-going relationship but Hyungwon, I truly wouldn't have it any other way. Everything that we have to go through just to be in this very moment it was all worth it," Wonho tells him without losing a single drop of optimism.

"You may think that this is not any progress but it is. Don't you see it? You took _your_ time and when you were ready you moved on one step at the time."

"But the guilt— and all the breakdowns—"

"Baby, you still feel them because you haven't fully moved on. You are entitled to feel all those things and there's nothing wrong with that," the older reassures him gently. "All these small steps you took towards me they are signs that you are letting go. It may not be at the pace that you expected but you are getting there."

Hyungwon had honestly never thought of it all this way. He believed that he hadn't moved on from Minhyuk rather he managed to create a space where Wonho could fit in just enough for him to keep both Wonho and Minhyuk with him. But after what Hoseok said, Hyungwon looks at it all differently, his perspective has changed completely.

"Sometimes the only reason you're not letting go fully is because you're afraid of the void that might come along with it. Whatever it is you're still holding onto was probably what kept that void away in the beginning. I'm not saying that it's a weight that's holding you down now, it's more of an attachment that you've grown accustomed to and the thought of letting that go ought to be scary like any other attachment."

It baffles Hyungwon at how accurate one could be about his emotions and actions without him having to explain anything thoroughly.

It makes sense to the younger; the only reason why he even continued sending those text messages in the first place was because he felt like it could fill the part of his life that was missing. Hyungwon envisioned this to be some kind of distraction to get him through every day, instead, the gap of the void within him only seems to widen with every unread text. Without realizing this once innocent, harmless habit had become a toxic routine.

Wonho pushes the younger's fallen hair to the back and places a kiss on his nose before his lips settle on his forehead. Hyungwon closes his eyes as he takes in everything that's been said tonight. His hands that are now resting on Wonho's arms slowly start to grip the material, tugging him closer.

"Even if it takes years, you will be okay." And for the first time, Hyungwon believes that he will be.

* * *


	111. Chapter 111

* * *

** Bunny♥ **

**Bunny♥:**  
hyungwonnie :))

 **Hyungwon:**  
hi sweetheart

 **Bunny♥:**  
so i was thinking

 **Hyungwon:**  
uh oh

 **Bunny♥:**  
you don't even know what i'm going to say😑

 **Hyungwon:**  
i still stand by my answer  
but go ahead

 **Bunny♥:**  
do you like equations?

 **Hyungwon:**  
not if it's complicated

 **Bunny♥:**  
don't worry this is pretty simple

 **Hyungwon:**  
and this sounds pretty suspicious...

 **Bunny♥:**  
you + me + puppy = happy family :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
like i said mins before: **uh oh**  
also there's a slight miscalculation

 **Bunny♥:**  
that's highly unlikely because i'm good in maths

 **Hyungwon:**  
you + me ± puppy = happy family :))

 **Bunny♥:**  
so is that a yes 😃

 **Hyungwon:**  
no

 **Bunny♥:**  
🥺

  
 **Hyungwon:**  
that's a maybe

 **Bunny♥:**  
🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

look at this adorable little fluffball!  
the pup i meant  
not kihyun

 **Hyungwon:**  
i wouldn't be surprised if kihyun got offended😂

 **Bunny♥:**  
he and shownu dropped by after getting this little guy from the shelter

 **Hyungwon:**  
Awww🥺

 **Bunny♥:**  
so did the little fluffball make you change your mind :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
he is adorable

 **Bunny♥:**  
:))

 **Hyungwon:**  
okay we'll get one  
not now but sometime in the future

 **Bunny♥:**  
better than none

 **Hyungwon:**  
changkyun's freaking out that kihyun's got a pup

 **Bunny♥:**  
why don't you bring changkyun over?  
i'm sure he would love to play with the fluffball

 **Hyungwon:**  
i will in about 15 mins

 **Bunny♥:**  
where are you guys anyway?

**Hyungwon:  
  
**

changkyun wanted boba from this place and apparently it's reallyy popular   
the line here is craxy so we're gonna be here for a while

 **Bunny♥:**  
well baby you look adorable and changkyun looks cute as ever 

**Hyungwon:**  
thank you💜  
i was planning to adopt changkyun instead of a pup  
how does that sound?

 **Bunny♥:**  
that's not a bad idea actually  
i'm down for it

 **Hyungwon:**  
changkyun approves as well 😊

* * *

**Oi❌**

**I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
hyung hyung!!!!  
send me the pics you took of me with the puppy please :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
i think i only took 1

 **Ki🐹:**  
i took 2   
hold up

**Hyungwon:  
  
**

****

i took 2 too  
oops :)

**Ki🐹:**

**Bunny♥:**  
that's fucking cute

 **Nunu🐻:**  
changkyun you're too precious

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
hyung🥺  
 ** _@Hyungwon @Ki🐹_** thanks!!💛

 **Ki🐹:**  
you're welcome!

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
wouldn't these make great group icons??

 **Ki🐹:**  
erm...

_I.M. Kyun🐺 changed this group's icon_

**Hyungwon:**  
i mean i'm not against it🤷‍♂️

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
let's be honest who would😊

* * *


	112. Chapter 112

* * *

** Minhyukkie 💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
Minhyukkie  
 _Sent✔_  
 ** _._  
 _._  
 _._**

why |  
wh|  
|  
 _ **.  
**_ _ **.  
**_ _ **.**_

sometimes i|  
sometim|  
so|  
s|  
|  
 **.  
** **.  
** **.**

i think i'm fina|  
i think i'm fi|  
i think i'|  
i thin|  
i|  
|

* * *


	113. Chapter 113

* * *

Hyungwon was really hesitant from the beginning. He knows sending a text would probably be so much easier than what he is doing right now. But he also knows he loses a piece of himself each time he succumbs to sending these unread text messages. He has seen first-hand how this unhealthy habit—perhaps even obsession—has changed him as a person and how he could potentially lose himself one day and just that mere thought scares him. 

He knows that taking a step forward wouldn't be easy hence why he made excuses in the past whenever he wanted to take that step. Now, he pushes aside all these excuses bustling in his head as he only keeps Kihyun's and Wonho's words with him along the way. 

He places the small bag he brought to the side before he proceeds to clean the slightly dirty headstone. He pushes away the dried fallen leaves before using wet wipes to wipe the black marble headstone and the surrounding grey tiles. He then takes out the white candles he bought and arranged them neatly along the tiles of the headstone, lighting them up one by one. He thanks the above that the weather isn't all that windy now so he can have some lighted candles for Minhyuk at least while he is here. Lastly, Hyungwon takes out the bouquet he bought consisted of Minhyuk's favorite flowers—white Carnations and pink Roses. 

Once the tall male is satisfied with the cleaning as well as the placement of flowers and candles he keeps the unused things back into the bag and settles right in front of the headstone. Hyungwon avoids coming here on his own but today, as much as he hates it, he has to. It's a small step, but it's at least _a_ step—another step forward. 

He heaves out a heavy sigh, staring at the picture of Minhyuk on the marble. For some reason, his stomach sinks dreadfully that that very picture of the once genial male is _smiling_. It's a mockery to Hyungwon really to see that on his headstone. He would occasionally scan the name, his eyes dawdlingly trace over the silver calligraphy almost like he's stalling. However, Hyungwon would always avoid looking at the dates written just below that very name—it's just something he can't bring himself to do. 

"Minhyuk—" Hyungwon starts but pauses almost immediately when the sudden rush of emotions just come pouring down on him. He takes a deep breath and exhales heavily.

"This won't b—be easy, huh?" Hyungwon has to snicker bitterly as another punch to his gut knocks the reality back to him—he won't get a reply here as well. 

He tells himself to not rush this moment, to takes his time with the things he needs to get off his chest. The younger male did inform Wonho where he is this time so the older male wouldn't worry like before if Hyungwon does spend a little longer than expected considering how the younger always seems to lose his sense of time. 

"I thought that—I thought that maybe I'd visit you by myself this time instead of sending you a text," Hyungwon utters after a moment. "I want to put a stop to all _this_ so I figured I should start here, like this _..._ " It hurts, somehow saying it out loud physically pains his heart. 

Hyungwon looks up to the thundering sky, watching the slight hues of orange and blue slowly get covered by the thick grey clouds as they approach his way. He smiles sadly at the memory of Minhyuk hating thunderstorms and how the older male would always take shelter in Hyungwon's arms when it happens. This memory starts to slowly burn his eyes as he curses internally because he hasn't even started yet.

_This isn't getting any easier_.

He recollects his thoughts, looking back at the small picture in front of him. There's just something about witnessing a person's smile in real life than to see it in the convenience of our screen, it certainly hits differently. Unfortunately, he only realizes this when he can no longer witness that same smile anymore. 

He remembers how that very smile would easily brighten his days. Minhyuk always found positivity in everyday life even when the day just seems to get more disheartening by the hour. He was truly a human vitamin as everyone would call him.

"I remember asking you before if you were to rather freeze time or go back in time.

"Back then I wanted to freeze time and stay in the moment—specifically a moment where you were in it and I never wanted to leave. I also wanted to go back in time so that I could relive moments with _you..._

"If I were to freeze time then I would forever be stuck in my past then there's just no clear future after that because I know I'll refuse to move on. And if I were to go back in time to do all the things I promised you I would do—I know I would still convince myself that those weren't enough. I would want to go back _again_ which would then be a neverending cycle at this point. Sadly, that's just how we are; no matter how hard we try, even when we've given our best that best will never satisfy us."

Hyungwon pauses another time as his focus now lingers on the dancing flames in front of him. He watches the flames recklessly sway back and forth as the wind starts to pick up with the grey clouds now hovering over him. The candles look so lively in this eerily calm cemetery. 

"I guess—I guess what I'm trying to say is that my answer now would be neither; I wouldn't want to freeze the moments I had with you and I don't want to go back even if it meant going back to you," Hyungwon finalizes thoughtfully as his gaze drops to the flowers.

"Back then I was blinded by my emotions... I couldn't accept the fact that you were here one day only to wake up the next morning to realize you're never coming back. I was so invested in my pain that I thought holding onto you was helping me get through my everyday life when in reality it's doing the opposite. Because of this, I failed to realize that everything I had with you was enough. I know that now, Minhyukkie.

"I'm content with what we had even when we were given such a short time together because I know I loved you enough. I couldn't see it then but I see it now. Every moment I spent with you I know loved you and cherished you with all I could. And you loved me for _me_ , the messed-up, selfish man I am—you still loved me. If you could love me despite every mistake I've done that means I must've done some things right, right Minhyuk?"

The male's eyes heavily brim with tears as his chest once weighty and filled with so much turmoiled emotions is slowly (not completely) residing. He feels it in his chest but he knows he has to do one final thing before he feels completely light; free. He's been putting it off up until this very moment. Visiting Minhyuk's grave on his own is the first half of letting go and he knows he'll be able to get by on his own, however, Hyungwon knows he won't be able to do the second half, at least not today and definitely not on his own. 

As the first tear streams down his cheek all the way to his chin and land on his hand that's when the patters of raindrops start to drizzle down on him. He brings his knees close to his chest, hugging them tightly as a form of self-comfort while he sits under the rain as more of his tears fall; each teardrop holds a confusing mixture of relief and dread. And as the lightning and thunder get louder and the rain begins to pour heavier that's when Hyungwon parts his lips to whisper, "I think I'm ready to let you go, Minhyuk."  
  


* * *


	114. Chapter 114

* * *

** Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
i never thought|  
i never tho|  
i neve|  
i |  
|

* * *

Hyungwon clutches his phone tightly in his palm as his hooded eyes scan the contact name over and over again. He has been typing and deleting the messages over and over again with every word thought out aren't as good as he wanted them to be. He attempts to do this alone—at first—but seeing as to how he has been sitting at that one spot at the living room for nearly an hour with barely any messages sent, he knows he really can't do this alone.

The younger male gets up to makes his way to the office where he knows Hoseok has been for the last hour. Hesitantly, he opens the door of the office to see the older male attentively doing his work on his laptop and he instantly feels bad for disturbing him right now. _Maybe later,_ Hyungwon thinks _._

"Love?" Wonho, who is quick to notice the younger's presence, instantly calls for him. Hyungwon's eyes instinctively meet his and he gives a contrition smile.

"I'll come back when you're not too busy, Hoseok," Hyungwon tells him.

"I'm actually not that busy now, love. Come in," Wonho beckons to the younger. Hyungwon sighs, giving in to the older's request. Wonho pushes his chair away from the desk and pats his lap, telling him to sit on his lap. Hyungwon reluctantly looks at him and at once Wonho recognizes that gaze.

"I can carry you over here if you want," the older suggests with a slight smirk to which Hyungwon shakes his head. With an obvious crimson tint on his cheeks, Hyungwon goes over to the older and sits right on his lap. Satisfied, Wonho locks his arms around the younger's waist and drags his chair into the desk a little. 

Hyungwon looks over the work Wonho was doing as he inspects it thoughtfully. "The stage looks really good. I like the color scheme too," he compliments, seeing the final result of the digital stage designed by the older.

"Thanks, baby," Wonho says with a kiss on his cheek. "Now I just have to gather the designers' input for the final touches."

"This will turn out great!" Wonho chuckles at the younger's confidence in his work. Call him biased, but he really does admire Wonho's work and always gives him way much praise than needed for every project he had completed. 

"So, any reason why you wanted to see me?"

"I missed you," Hyungwon simply says as he turns his body slightly to properly face the older.

"Well, the beauty of living together is to eliminate that."

"Yet I still miss you, so deal with it," Hyungwon huffs playfully. Wonho laughs at the younger's antic, hugging close to his body. "And I—I need to tell you something." Wonho frowns a little at the man's sudden drop in his tone. He sees how Hyungwon's eyes hold evident hesitancy as they would repeatedly settle on his face then drop down to his hand or sometimes they would try to look anywhere else.

Wonho caresses his cheek tenderly and plants a kiss on his nose to reassure him. He makes sure that the younger's gaze only stays and remains on him. "Go ahead, baby."

"Remember when I met up with Kihyun the other day?" Wonho nods as of his other hand rubs circles on the younger's back, patiently waiting for him to continue. "We—We talked about a few things—things I didn't know I needed to talk about really... Most of my time up until now I have been living in deep denial about so many things and this talk—and the one I had with you— they just—I guess you can say they made me realize a few things..." Hyungwon trails off, the phone in his hand being pressed harder into his sweaty palms. It almost feels like it's burning his skin at how itchy they feel to send a text message. 

"Take your time, love," Wonho whispers, kissing the tip of his ear along the way. Hyungwon nods before taking in and letting out a small breather. 

"Af—After Minhyuk's passing, I sent a text to his number. I knew he wouldn't respond but I just—I don't know—maybe I wanted some fucking miracle to happen and that he will reply. I—I didn't want to let him go just like that, you know? It didn't feel right... One text became two and suddenly I am sending him messages almost every day with this stupid hope." 

Hyungwon stops as the guilt within him gradually starts to build up in his chest like an uncomfortable lump. One of the ways that Hyungwon knows that things have changed around him is this guilt that is stuck with him. The thick goo that he calls guilt once accumulates and suffocates him whenever he feels like he was neglecting Minhyuk by living his life like the way he should. But now, the stay clumped in his chest knowing he couldn't give his full heart as Wonho did. 

"I'm so sorry, Hoseok," Hyungwon apologizes sincerely, his eyes finally daring to meet those of the older's that never once held any grudge or anger towards him. Those pools of dark brown always seem to be filled with so much love and endearment that Hyungwon will never understand how one could have a heart so big.

"You've always been giving your all for me and I feel like I can't give a hundred percent of myself to you because of _this_. I'm sorry that I made you feel like a second choice or some sort of a rebound. I promise you really aren't! I'm—"

"Hey hey," Wonho stops his rambling. He strokes his thumb over gently to wipe the fallen tears off the younger's cheek that he himself hasn't realized until now. "I get it, it's not easy losing someone you love and I know you really love Minhyuk. I knew what I was getting myself into when I wanted to be with you so I understand why you can't fully give me your heart and it's okay."

"But it's not fair—it was never fair to you..."

"I'm not mad, my love, not even the slightest," Wonho reassures, giving him a small smile. Wonho takes the younger's free hand and brings it up to his lips to plant a kiss on it. "It's alright, okay?"

"Th—Thank you," Hyungwon says still with the guilt rooted within him. "There's one more thing..."

"What is it?"

"I want to stop everything," Hyungwon tells him and Wonho's heart sinks at this. He hopes he doesn't mean their relationship. Wonho knows he doesn't fully have Hyungwon's heart, but still, he loves him very much despite everything, and even if their relationship has been rocky from the start it was and still is beautiful in their own way. 

"St—stop?" Hyungwon nods.

"The one thing that's really been holding me back all this while is this—" He brings his phone over for Wonho to see. The contact is written **Minhyukkie💙** and the older sees the thousands of messages he sent over the years and none of them were read. Just a single grey tick representing _sent_.

"I—I want to stop _this._ I couldn't let him go before because I was afraid but now—now I think I'm ready to let him go."

"You don't have to let him go because you feel like you're obliged too, Hyungwon," Wonho tries to tell him.

"No Hoseok, I truly want to because—" Hyungwon pauses. Wonho raises his brow with anticipation for what the younger has to say next. 

Hyungwon's heart is starting to race as he tries to find the right way to say the next words. He doesn't know if Wonho truly feels the same way as he does, but he knows it's better to confess than to just keep it in and regret later.

"I want to do this because _I love you_ ," Hyungwon admits softly. Wonho's eyes immediately widen as the younger's sudden confession. He really hadn't seen this coming at all. "Minhyuk held a special place in my heart and honestly, I didn't think I could ever love anyone after I lost him. I was wrong because I love you, Hoseok."

Wonho doesn't say anything, not immediately. After he fully registers what the younger had said, he brings both his hands to cup the younger fuller cheeks and gives him a smile, a tender smile that holds so much love as his eyes seem to glisten slowly. He leans in and captures the younger's lips for a gentle kiss. Gradually, they grow hungry in the kiss with Wonho gripping the younger's face a little harder and one of Hyungwon's arm somehow finds their way around the older's neck, pulling him down to deepen the kiss. 

This isn't the first time that they've kissed with such intensity but it very well may be the first time where this one kiss conveys the long-awaited love that they both feel for each other. It's in how desperate their kiss feels that shows how much they really wanted to love each other all these while but they retrained themselves for so many reasons. It's like the final wall between them came down.

When they pull away panting against each other's forehead for a breather, Hyungwon knew he didn't need a spoken answer for confirmation; he is sure of how the older feels. Wonho plants a kiss on the younger's nose and another on his forehead before brushing his thumb lightly against his cheek.

"I love you too, Hyungwon," Wonho, too, finally confesses with a really wide smile. His cheeks do hurt but he doesn't care; he's too fucking happy to care. "Fuck, I love you so much!" 

"I do too, so so much," Hyungwon tells him, mirroring the same wide smile. "That's why I want to stop this. It's been 3 years and I know I should let him go, not just for me but for us. I really want to give you my all, Hoseok." 

Hyungwon unlocks his phone once again to show his chatroom with Minhyuk. "I started this by sending the first message so I think the best way to end all this is with one final message. I can't do it by myself, Hoseok... W—Will you stay beside me while I do this?" Hyungwon asks softly. Wonho nods without hesitation as he wraps his arms once again around the younger's waist.

"I'll be with you all the way, my love," Wonho promises. Hyungwon takes a breather to compose himself before he's ready to send one last message to Minhyuk. He's ending it the same way he started it. 

* * *


	115. Chapter 115

* * *

**Minhyukkie💙 **

**Hyungwon:**  
hi minhyukkie...  
 _Sent✔  
 **.  
**_ ** _.  
_ _._**

for the first time i'm not by myself when i send this  
i'm with hoseok today  
 _Sent✔  
_ **.  
.  
.**

Hello! —WH  
 _Sent✔  
_ **.  
.  
.**  
honestly, i never knew this day would come  
i sent the first few texts out of denial  
the rest were basically out of desperation  
i didn't even realize what i was doing to myself until i truly have seen it with my own eyes  
it's scary, minhyuk, to think back to the things i did and wanted to do  
 _Sent✔  
_ **.  
.  
.**  
back then i didn't want to let go because i didn't have the clear reassurance of ever being okay  
but now i'm ready, minhyukkie  
 _Sent✔  
_ **.  
.  
.**  
if you were looking down on me i'm sure you were worried at how i've turned out  
you don't have to anymore because i'm going to be okay and i truly believe that now  
i have kihyun, shownu hyung and changkyun  
and i even have hoseok now by my side  
 _Sent✔_

**_.  
_ _.  
_ _._ **

you will always be with me  
and you will always hold a special place in my heart  
i can't love you any more than i do now   
i guess what made it all harder was that i was convinced i would never lose you  
i always thought it would be you and me, growing old and doing everything together  
but that isn't the case because in the end, i lost you  
maybe that's why i was afraid to give my heart away because i was afraid of losing another person i love again  
 _Sent✔  
_ **.  
.  
.**  
i thought by shutting people out and just continue to text you like nothing was wrong, i could live my life thinking you were still here but just far away  
i created this delusion within myself thinking i wouldn't get hurt  
i thought i was protecting myself   
instead, i was actually hurting myself even more by doing so  
kihyun was right, it hurts more sending these texts knowing you won't reply  
texting you, i was never getting the closure i was desperately looking for because i knew no closure will ever truly satisfy me unless it was you yourself standing in front of me  
 _Sent✔  
_ **.  
.  
.**

i love you, minhyuk  
i love you so much and i will always love you, nothing will change that  
and saying goodbye now doesn't mean i love you any less or that i have stopped  
i want to take care of myself now  
i want to heal from everything  
and i want to learn to love again  
now, i want to love hoseok as he loves me  
i want to give him the love that he deserves  
even after everything i've put him through he is still here with me  
he's taking care of me and loving me  
 _Sent✔  
_ **.  
.  
.**  
i love you, minyuk  
but i love hoseok too  
and so i'm letting this go  
even if it'll hurt for a little while more i finally have the courage to let you go  
 _Sent✔  
_ **.  
.  
.**  
thank you minhyuk  
all these years i was angry so i blamed the universe, i even blamed you for how things ended that i never once thanked you  
thank you for the years we've spent together  
thank you for all the memories you gave me to hold on to  
i have never regretted a single moment with you because they were all precious  
you were a true blessing to my life and to those around you  
wherever you are i hope you are happy  
and maybe someday i hope we'll meet again, minhyukkie  
goodbye.  
 _Sent✔_

* * *

**Minhyukkie💙  
**

_Delete Minhyukkie💙 from your contacts_

Cancel | **Delete**

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was emotional to write💔


	116. Chapter 116

* * *

It felt different. He created multiple scenarios in his head for how he would've felt after sending the last messages and finally deleting Minhyuk's number. He had thought that it would be somewhat relieving—liberate in some sense perhaps, yet this 'liberating' feeling feels a whole lot different than what he imagined. His chest does feel much lighter but there's this slight gash, a small wound that had been inflicted when he pressed **Delete**. It hurts like any other wound—for now.

Wonho takes the phone out of Hyungwon's hand when he sees how the younger's hand is shaking as his grip only seems to tighten around this small device. He places the phone on the table right in front of them then bring the younger's face to look up at him. He sees a swarm full of emotions in the younger's eyes. He tries to get a sense of at least one of the few emotions he's feeling right now but just when he's gotten a grasp of a certain emotion the younger's eyes would suddenly flicker and they would display something completely different. 

Hyungwon is looking at him yet not exactly at _him_. He is getting lost in his own sea of thoughts and emotions—the clear outcome of overthinking.

"Hey," Wonho calls gently as he caresses the younger's cheek, trying to bring his focus back to him. The younger's brown orbs shifts between Wonho's eyes to the wall at the back before they finally settle on his again. "Tell me, how do you feel?" Wonho asks.

"I feel—I feel light—maybe even free..." Hyungwon admits yet his tone lacked complete certainty and Wonho knows that the younger isn't telling him everything because even when his words are true, his eyes say even more then he lets on. He is free—perhaps—but that can't only be it.

"Tell me everything. Don't hold back anything just because you think you need to feel a certain way now."

This seems to get through to the younger as his eyes widen before they eventually glisten, burning with tears threatening to fall. "H—Hoseok—" Hyungwon's voice cracks. His lips quiver, wondering how he is going to let the rest of his feelings out without being an incoherent mess.

In all honesty, Hyungwon had never seen the day where he would really let Minhyuk go even when he knew it couldn't go on forever. So when the time finally came, even when he has prepared his heart for it, it's almost as though he hasn't prepared at all because the pain will still be there; the only difference is Hyungwon knows that this pain won't last for as long as he thought it will.

"Hurts—" He chokes out as he intuitively presses his hand over his own heart where it physically hurts now. The pain in his chest aches, almost like his heart is bleeding. "It h—hurts, Hoseok." 

Wonho's own eyes start to blur with tears watching how the younger breaks a little from letting go of someone he loved so dearly all these years. He for one can't even imagine doing what Hyungwon had just done. The older male brings his free hand to the younger's fist that is over his heart and holds onto that hand, squeezing it as he presses deeper into his chest feeling the rapid heartbeat beneath.

"You're so strong," Wonho tells him, kissing the hand over Hyungwon's heart. "My strong, baby."

"I'm not. I'm not strong at all," he mutters with a lowered gaze as a single tear trails down his cheek. Wonho hooks his finger under Hyungwon's chin to make him look at him.

"You are—so very strong. It takes courage and strength to be able to do what you just did. Even I wouldn't have been able to let go if it was you," the older tells him sincerely. "I know you may not see it now, but believe me." Hyungwon sniffs and nods his head a little. He believes the older knowing his own personal judgments about himself at the moment are clouded by his overwhelming emotions. And he knows Wonho wouldn't ever lie just to make him feel better, that's just not who he is.

"I love you so much," Wonho says as he rests his forehead against Hyungwon's. The younger stills in his lap, eyes starting to fill much quicker with tears as he takes in these words properly. Everything the older has done for him has clearly shown how much he loves Hyungwon and they even confessed to each other moments before, but now, these words hit differently.

He had always regretted the times where he hadn't truly cherished the intimate moments with Minhyuk properly as he should, and even when he's learned to accept that he has done all he could at those moments to love Minhyuk, he knew he could've done _some_ things better.

"S—Say it again," Hyungwon begs so softly. "Please." 

Something in the way those mere words hold so much desperation breaks Wonho's heart. It's almost like Hyungwon has nothing else to hold onto but these words. These words are now his solace, his reassurance that everything—despite the pain—will be alright. It is at this moment where they learned a different kind of intimacy, intimacy where these words bring immense consolation without any sort of skinship involved. 

"I love you," Wonho whispers with his own tears falling from the overwhelming emotions pooling in his chest. "I love you so fucking much, Hyungwon."

And Hyungwon cries; he sobs out loud on the older's chest. He cries for the past that couldn't be his future, he cries for the pain that's reaping his heart but most of all, he cries for the love he feels from Wonho right now. He makes sure to cherish these words properly this time. He makes a silent promise to himself to never take a single moment for granted with this man. He is beyond grateful for this second chance at love (and at life) and he will do anything and everything to keep it with him for as long as he can. 

"I love y—you, Hoseok," he cries painfully. "Even—Even when I don't show it, pl—please know that I really do love you!" 

"Shh, baby~" Wonho coos, bringing the younger into his embrace where Hyungwon clings onto him tightly. Wonho understands Hyungwon's pain since he knows where his desperate pleas are coming from. "I know you do, Hyungwon. I know you do," he lets the younger know.

* * *


	117. Chapter 117

* * *

** Oi❌ **

**Ki🐹:**

these 2 are practically useless when it comes to helping me

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
they're so adorable🥺

 **Hyungwon:**  
i am offended

 **Ki🐹:**  
the fuck you're not  
you look anything but offended right now

 **Nunu🐻:**  
i'm curious what does he look like then

 **Ki🐹:**  
what do you think he looks like when his face is getting eaten by wonho🤦‍♂️

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
👀  
that is a sight to see

 **Ki🐹:**  
IM CHANGKYUN!

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
hyung they've made out in front of me multiple times before i'm not that oblivious

 **Ki🐹:**  
ur the baby of this group so shut up

 **Hyungwon:**  
yes changkyun no obscene thoughts please i like my baby to be pure

 **Ki🐹** :  
you ruined our poor baby

 **Bunny♥:**  
no he is _our_ baby  
fuck off ki

 **Ki🐹:**  
💔

 **Nunu🐻:**  
a bandage for you

 **Ki🐹:**  
❤  
 _ **@Hyungwon @Bunny♥**_ go back to sleep both of you

 **Bunny♥:**  
gladly

 **Ki🐹:**  
not in my house!!  
idk why i thought it was a good idea to call you for help

 **Hyungwon:**  
in my defense, you called hoseok

 **Ki🐹:**  
i did so why the fuck did you show up too

 **Hyungwon:**  
company✅  
emotional support✅  
boost morale✅

 **Ki🐹:**  
none of those are needed for today😐

 **Hyungwon:**  
that's bold of you to assume my friend

 **Ki🐹:**  
i was just getting a tree...

 **Hyungwon:**  
which does require every one of the things i listed  
you're welcome💜

 **Ki🐹:**  
 ** _@Nunu🐻 @I.M. Kyun🐺_** help me😩  
these 2 are tiring to handle

 **Bunny♥:**  
we are literally not doing anything!

 **Ki🐹:**  
stop making out on my sofa ffs!!!  
i want it to remain clean

 **Hyungwon:**  
😗

 **Nunu🐻:**  
kihyun realistically the sofa is not that clean anymore so...🤷‍♂️

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
why isn't it clean anymore hyung?  
did someone spill something on it?

 **Ki🐹:**  
change of topic please   
i don't want to discuss such things when changkyunnie is around

 **Hyungwon:**  
you brought it up

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
hyung why not😢

 **Ki🐹:**  
baby lets keep whatever innocence you have left as it is

 **Nunu🐻:**  
how big is your tree anyways?

**Ki🐹:**

this is the one we picked out

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
i can already feel the Christmas spirit in the air!!  
that reminds me i need a tree for my place too

 **Hyungwon:**  
i can go with you changkyunnie :)  
maybe this friday?

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
thank you hyung🥰

 **Ki🐹:**  
also Christmas dinner will be over at my place this year  
everyone okay with that?

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
omg yay!

 **Nunu🐻:**  
i'm fine with it :)

 **Bunny♥:**  
hyungwon and i are alright with it too  
🔪  
👌**

 **Ki🐹:**  
that knife emoji felt intentional

 **Bunny♥:**  
that was hyungwon

 **Ki🐹:**  
then it definitely was intentional  
okay since everyone is fine with it i need you all to come and decorate the tree next week

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm down for that

 **Ki🐹:**  
you're only needed to place the star on the tree

 **Hyungwon:**  
exactly why i'm down for it😜   
i don't expect myself to do anything more

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
does that mean next year's Christmas dinner will be at hyungwon and wonho hyung's new house :))

 **Bunny♥:**  
yes :)

 **Nunu🐻:**  
 _ **@Bunny♥ @Hyungwon**_ when's your settlement for the house?

 **Bunny♥:**  
we actually settled the payment a few days ago so technically that house already belongs to us but we're in no rush to move in now  
hyungwon and i want to slowly move out from my place sometime after this coming new years

 **Hyungwon:**  
we should be fully settled in the new house somewhere around the end of january

 **Ki🐹:**  
gives me a new reason to flaunt my interior decorating skills

 **Hyungwon:**  
i'm trusting our house in your hands yoo kihyun

 **Ki🐹:**  
i'm very trust-worthy thank you very much

 **Hyungwon:**  
i mean that's debatable but okay

 **Bunny♥:**  
baby he might just ruin our house out of spite if you keep taunting him like that😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
i will chop his limbs if he does so🙂

 **Ki🐹:**  
shownu

 **Nunu🐻:**  
yes?

 **Ki🐹:**  
can you come over please i'm terrified

 **Hyungwon:**  
SHowNu CAn YoU COME OveR PLeaSe I aM TeRrifiED

 **Nunu🐻:**  
...

 **Hyungwon:**  
shownu hyung***

* * *


	118. Chapter 118

* * *

**Bunny♥**

**Bunny♥:**  
hi love   
just wanted to check if you've decided on a place :)

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseokkie!!!  
💙

 **Bunny♥:**  
hi baby❤

 **Hyungwon:**  
i have decided on a place

 **Bunny♥:**  
that's great baby  
where would you like to go?

 **Hyungwon:**  
paris :)

 **Bunny♥:**  
baby...

 **Hyungwon:**  
yea😊

 **Bunny♥:**  
no

 **Hyungwon:**  
but whyyy

 **Bunny♥:**  
no

 **Hyungwon:**  
yes

 **Bunny♥:**  
no

 **Hyungwon:**  
hyungwon yes

 **Bunny♥:**  
hyungwon no  
nice try ;p

 **Hyungwon:**  
but hoseokkie :(

 **Bunny♥:**  
baby i literally gave you the chance to choose any place in the world and you settle for paris

 **Hyungwon:**  
YES EXACTLY!

 **Bunny♥:**  
No

 **Hyungwon:**  
Yes!  
you told me to choose any place and i did  
i choose paris  
i want to go to paris with you, sweets🥺

 **Bunny♥:**  
love, please tell me you have any other place in mind

 **Hyungwon:**  
if i said i do then you'll completely disregard the idea of ever going to paris

 **Bunny♥:**  
okay i promise i won't disregard the idea  
so do you?

 **Hyungwon:**  
the maldives😗  
i've never been there before

 **Bunny♥:**  
done👌

 **Hyungwon:**  
seriosuly? 👀  
seriously**

 **Bunny♥:**  
yes my love  
anything for you

 **Hyungwon:**  
paris👉👈

 **Bunny♥:**  
hyungwon...

 **Hyungwon:**  
fiNe  
you'll see one day i'll drag us both to paris and you won't be able to say no because you love me THAT much

 **Bunny♥:**  
are you using my love for you against me?

 **Hyungwon:**  
maybe i am😠

 **Bunny♥:**  
💔

 **Hyungwon:**  
i lvoe you😬

 **Bunny♥:**  
🙃  
how's work going?

 **Hyungwon:**  
good!  
i've been pretty productive all day😊

 **Bunny♥:**  
that's really good baby  
i hope you're off for lunch break now and not cooped up in your office  
because if you are i'll be disappointed

 **Hyungwon:**  
don't worry sweets  
i'm out with shownu hyung and changkyun  
shownu hyung found this new place around the corner of the company so we're trying that out today

 **Bunny♥:**  
i'm glad baby😌

 **Hyungwon:**  
are you going out for lunch too?

 **Bunny♥:**  
yes  
in about 20 mins

**Hyungwon:  
  
  
**

  
**Bunny♥:**  
you look so cute baby i wanna kiss you😩

**Hyungwon:  
  
**

found this in my camera roll just for you😝

 **Bunny♥:**  
😩❤❤❤  
you know that just makes me wanna kiss you more  
i shall return the generous gift with one of my own

 **Hyungwon:**  
no wait my heart wouldn't be able to handle it!!!

**Bunny♥:**

**Hyungwon:**  
thank you i malfunctioned👌

  
 **Bunny♥:**  
enjoy your meal, my love :)  
i love you

 **Hyungwon:**  
you too sweets!  
i love you too❤

* * *


	119. Epilogue

* * *

** Bunny♥ **

**Hyungwon:**  
hoseokkie  
you're still at work?

 **Bunny♥:**  
hi baby  
i am :/  
are you home now?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i have been for a while now actually and i figured you're stuck in your office again today

 **Bunny♥:**  
im sorry baby but the deadline for the project submission is next week so we will be really busy until then making sure everything is perfect

 **Hyungwon:**  
no no i understand  
i just wanted to ask you something...

 **Bunny♥:**  
ofc love what is it?  
i hope things are okay at work

 **Hyungwon:**  
it isn't work related but things are okay at work  
it's just should we tell them?  
it's been a few days and i know we've both been quite busy but i was just wondering you know...

 **Bunny♥:**  
oh baby you want to tell them today?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i mean if it's alright with you  
but i totally understand if you want to wait  
whenever you're ready😊

 **Bunny♥:**  
baby ofc i dont mind  
you can do the honors

 **Hyungwon:**  
i did take a short video but nothing more because my hands were shaking too much  
should i just drop that without context? i'm sure they'll get it

 **Bunny♥:**  
whatever you want to do baby❤

* * *

** Oi❌ **

**Hyungwon:**  
guys  
hoseok and I have something to tell you all  
is everyone online?  
i'd like for everyone to see this at the same time...

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
i'm on9🙋♂️

 **Nunu🐻:**  
i'm here  
hold up kihyun is washing the dishes he'll be here soon  
**.**  
**.**  
**.**

 **Ki🐹:**  
i'm here i'm here  
sorry it took a while

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok?

 **Bunny♥:**  
i'm right here baby  
whenever you are ready

 **Hyungwon:**  
well...

 **Nunu🐻:**  
is it something bad?

 **Ki🐹:**  
hyungwon are you okay?  
wonho are you with him?

 **Bunny♥:**  
i'm still at the office actually and hyungwon's at home now  
everything's okay don't worry

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
**_@Hyungwon_** hyung?

**Hyungwon:  
  
**

**Ki🐹:**  
WAIT

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
fuCk!

 **Ki🐹:**  
IM CHANGKYUN WHAT THE FUCK  
WHO THE FUCK TOLD YOU YOU COULD FUCKING CURSE😤🤬

 **Nunu🐻:**  
**_@Ki🐹_** and you just used an array of curses in your sentence...

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
sorry sorry that slipped i swear hyung!  
i'm sorry🙇♂️

 **Hyungwon:**  
tsk tsk tsk changkyunnie

 **Nunu🐻:**  
anyways YOU GUYS!!😆😆

 **Bunny♥️:**  
😀

 **Ki🐹:**  
FUVK  
OH FUCK  
SHIT

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
hyung i'm crying  
i'm really crying😭😭

 **Bunny♥:**  
hyungwon cried too don't worry changkyun :')

 **Hyungwon:**  
excuse me you cried as well when i said _yes_ 🤨  
don't put it all on me mister

 **Bunny♥:**  
i love you baby😬❤

 **Nunu🐻:**  
congrats Hyungwon and Wonho!

 **Ki🐹:**  
yea man  
congrats guys!!  
i'm so fucking happy for you both! 

**I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
congrats hyungs😭  
I'M SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
😭😭😭😭

 **Hyungwon:**  
thank you 😢💚

 **Bunny♥:**  
thank you guys🥰

 **I.M. KYUN🐺:**  
when's the wedding??

 **Nunu🐻:**  
calm down changkyun   
but yea have you guys set a date?

 **Hyungwon:**  
yea  
we plan to have it next year

 **Bunny♥:**  
14 May 2021 to be exact :)

 **Nunu🐻:**  
got it👌

 **Ki🐹:**  
that's amazing!  
but i have to ask  
how the fuck did you convince hyungwon's dad😂

 **Bunny♥:**  
trust me that wasn't easy at all🤧  
it's a story for another day😌

* * *

** Bunny♥ **

**Bunny♥:**  
baby

 **Hyungwon:**  
hoseok?

 **Bunny♥:**  
i can't wait to see you walk down the aisle

 **Hyungwon:**  
me too hoseokkie🥺  
are you coming back soon :(

 **Bunny♥:**  
i'm almost done baby

 **Hyungwon:**  
come back safe, please

 **Bunny♥:**  
i will, my love i promise  
i'll have you in my arms real soon  
don't worry, okay?

i love you❤

 **Hyungwon:**  
i love you too, hoseok, so much💙

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After many long chapters, this book has finally ended :')
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone for staying until the end. I hope it was worth it. We all went through a whole rollercoaster of emotions, didn't we? 
> 
> I can imagine the frustration you must have felt from all the plot holes in the beginning so I hope I managed to fill them up in the end :) 
> 
> Thank you for all your sweet words, I'll forever appreciate it all.
> 
> I hope everyone is staying safe and taking care!
> 
> Thank you💜
> 
> —Jess


	120. Bonus #1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy💜

* * *

** Oi❌ **

**Hyungwon:**  
i have something to say

 **Ki🐹:**  
wait it's already 10  
aren't you guys suppose to catch a flight or something?

 **Hyungwon:**  
our flight's supposed to be @ 12  
it's been delayed now🙃

 **Nunu🐻:**  
that sucks

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
how long is it delayed for hyung?

 **Hyungwon:**  
5 hours😪

 **Ki🐹:**  
damn  
why don't you guys go out for a moment  
or can't you leave your gate?

 **Hyungwon:**  
we've already checked-in by the time they made the announcement of the delay  
we can only go out if its delayed 8 hours or more  
yea so now i'm rotting here✌

 **Nunu🐻:**  
tough 7 hours then

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
hyung why would you guys check-in so early?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i give the full blame to stupid lee hoseok🙄  
that idiot thought it would be a good idea to check-in 2 hours before the flight when we only need to be at the gate 30 - 40 mins before boarding

 **Ki🐹:**  
why tho😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
he wanted to do some airport shopping🙂  
idiot

 **Nunu🐻:**  
where is he btw

 **Hyungwon:**  
i made him go get iced coffee for me

 **Sweets💕:**  
he wasn't going to follow me around the airport if i didn't 

**Ki🐹:**  
typical😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
you can't expect me to tolerate him for hours without at least some caffeine pumped into my system  
he woke me up and rushed us to the airport to be checked-in 2 hours early for what   
tO GEt dElaYed!

 **Ki🐹:**  
to be fair you married the man hyungwon  
i reckon you could've tolerated him without caffeine😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
my tired self refuses to put up with it especially not when we have a 12-hour flight ahead 

**Sweets💕:**  
baby you know i'm sorry :(

 **Hyungwon:**  
i know...  
i love you hoseok get back here quick

 **Sweets💕:**  
it's almost my turn next  
do you want food too?

 **Hyungwon:**  
i don't really feel like eating anything atm

 **Sweets💕:**  
i'll get you something light then

 **Hyungwon:**  
anyways  
i have completely sidetracked from my initial purpose of coming on here

 **Ki🐹:**  
what was your initial purpose then

**Hyungwon:  
  
  
  
  
**

**Nunu🐻:**  
nice fit👌  
i told you the cap was a nice touch **_@Sweets_** 💕

 **Ki🐹:**  
he looks good  
your point is?

 **Hyungwon:**  
he has the audacity to come to the airport looking like this!!  
this man i swear😤

 **Sweets💕:**  
😂  
but baby you love it  
you practically drooled over me the whole way

 **Ki🐹:**  
-_-

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
wonho hyung looks like a whole ass bodyguard🤭

 **Hyungwon:**  
yea fuck i love it  
AND SO DOES EVERY SINGLE HOMO SAPIEN IN INCHEON AIRPORT‼

 **Sweets💕:**  
baby my eyes are only on you

 **Hyungwon:**  
while everyone else's are on yOU

 **Ki🐹:**  
cover him with a huge jacket or something if you don't want people staring😬

 **Sweets💕:**  
don't put ideas into his head ki  
besides we didn't pack for a cold weather

 **Hyungwon:**  
sweets we can always buy them here   
we're going shopping anyways😗

 **Sweets💕:**  
hyungwon shut up  
paris is literally thirty degrees now we don't need to be carrying around a jacket there

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
i still wonder how hyungwon hyung managed to convince wonho hyung to go to paris for their honeymoon😂

 **Hyungwon:**  
that man is W E A K when it comes to me i tell you :P

 **Sweets💕:**  
excuse me

 **Hyungwon:**  
you are excused✋  
my coffee's here🥰

**Sweets💕:**

my baby and coffee are the perfect aesthetic 😍

 **Ki🐹:**  
pink really suits you well **_@Hyungwon_**

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
it's one of my fav colors besides your ash grey one

**Sweets💕:**

he's shy now

 **Hyungwon** :  
hoseok!  
 ** _@I.M. Kyun🐺 @Ki🐹_** thank you :)  
i'm dying it back to black once we get to paris

 **Sweets💕:**  
we're going airport shopping now  
we'll let you guys know once we've reached paris  
bye guys👋

 **Hyungwon:**  
bye!

 **Nunu🐻:**  
safe flight!

 **Ki🐹:**  
safe flight you both

 **I.M. Kyun🐺:**  
bye hyungs!  
safe flight❤

* * *


	121. Bonus #2

**Oi❌**

**Hyungwon:** **  
** I LOVE PARIS   
‼‼‼‼‼‼

**Sweets💕:** **  
** …   
we landed about an hour ago   
how can you already love paris😐

**Nunu🐻:** **  
** that's quick to judge hyungwon😂

**Hyungwon:** **  
** PERIODTt   
idc what you all say   
not even you hoseok :p

**Ki🐹:** **  
** Ouch   
how was the flight btw?

**Sweets💕:** **  
** it was okay for the most part

**Hyungwon:** **  
** we slept the whoel way   
whole**   
:))

**Sweets💕:** **  
** _ he  _ slept the whole way   
i woke up for mealtimes

**Hyungwon:** **  
** i do not understand how that man loves airplane food

**Nunu🐻:** **  
** it's  **FOOD**

**Sweets💕:** **  
** because its food   
it's edible and it can be digested by my stomach so i eat it   
see even shownu agrees

**Ki🐹:** **  
** **_@Hyungwon_ ** i'm with you on this   
i don't fancy airplane food too

**Hyungwon:** **  
** this is why we are friends   
we share the same intellectual😌

**Ki🐹:** **  
** oh dear is that supposed to be a compliment...?

**Hyungwon:** **  
** fuck you   
where's changkyun anyways?

**Ki🐹:** **  
** asleep like the angel he is😌

**Sweets💕:** **  
** owh?   
and you know this because?

**Ki🐹:** **  
** he's sleeping right on my lap

he came over today and never left so

**Hyungwon:** **  
** he adorable🥺

**Nunu🐻:** **  
** it's about 6pm there isn't it?   
what are your plans

**Sweets💕:** **  
** we just got to our room so we'll be resting for the day   
probably might just order room service for tonight   
also hyungwon wanted me to dye his hair back to black so we might be doing that too

**Nunu🐻:** **  
** your pink hair is really nice tho  **@Hyungwon** **  
** don;t you want to keep it longer?

**Hyungwon:** **  
** i guess it does suit me   
but i really just wanted it pink for the wedding   
and for aesthetic purposes, you know

**Ki🐹:** **  
** for aesthetic purposes...

**Hyungwon:** **  
** you get me ✊

**Ki🐹:** **  
** sure buddy

**Hyungwon:** **  
** plus i will never forget hoseok's face when he first saw it

**Sweets💕:** **  
** i said it before but i'll say it again   
you look so FUCKING hot with pink hair   
aww my baby's blushing

**Hyungwon:  
** shut up hoseok

**Ki🐹:** **  
** question   
is it a suite👀

**Hyungwon:** **  
** he booked us a honeymoon suite😬

**Nunu🐻:** **  
** damn you're really spoiling your man i see

**Hyungwon:** **  
** i told him a honeymoon suite isn't really necessary   
we even talked about it   
but ofc his stubborn ass went behind my back and changed our rooms

**Sweets💕:** **  
** i only give the best for my baby✊

**Ki🐹:** **  
** how's the view?

**Hyungwon:**   
oh? the view😏   
the view’s just 😍

**Ki🐹:**   
show us!!

**Hyungwon:**   


the view’s rather yummy if you ask me   
i mean i couldn’t look away 👀   
but i was looking respectfully 

**Nunu🐻:**   
🤨   
we all know that’s the fattest lie

**Hyungwon:**   
i’m honest😯✋   
okay   
maybe partially honest   
but like   
can you blame me?

**Ki🐹:**   
this dimwit😒

**Sweets💕:** **  
** i’m not complaining   
my view’s pretty stunning as well

**Hyungwon:**   
☺   
**_@Ki🐹_ ** what? you don’t like the view?

**Ki🐹:**   
i did not ask for this view…

**Hyungwon:**   
to be fair this is  _ my  _ view

**Ki🐹:**   
you know what   
why do i even bother

  
  


**  
  
**

**Hyungwon:** **  
** 😂   
nah i’m just messing with you   
i know what you mean   
i’ll show you guys once we’re back in our room   
we went down to the lobby for a moment   
.   
.   
.  
  


**Nunu🐻:** **  
** WOW😍

**Ki🐹:** **  
** that is so beautiful!!

**Nunu🐻:** **  
** you picked well wonho👏

**Sweets💕:** **  
** thank you thank you   
my baby loves it too so i'm happy 😌    
isn't it late for you guys?

**Nunu🐻:** **  
** i'll be heading to bed soon

**Ki🐹:** **  
** i just had a shot of expresso   
don't ask why

**Hyungwon:** **  
** why

**Ki🐹:** **  
** 🙂   
anyways what are you guys plans for the coming days/   
?

**Hyungwon:** **  
** hoseok and i will be walking down the streets of paris tomorrow!!   
then we'll go sightseeing and visit some museums too

**Sweets💕:** **  
** we plan to visit the eiffel tower either on our last day or the day before that since hyungwon has been bugging me about the shimmery lights there?

**Ki🐹:** **  
** oh the Eiffel Tower light show!

**Hyungwon:** **  
** Yess!!

**Ki🐹:** **  
** don't forget to take lots of pictures!

**Hyungwon:** **  
** ofc we will :)   
hoseok even bought a camera specifically for this honeymoon

**Nunu🐻:** **  
** you what😂

**Sweets💕:** **  
** you bet i did

**Ki🐹:** **  
** well enjoy your honeymoon you love birds

**Nunu🐻:** **  
** stay safe and take care you two

**Sweets💕:** **  
** thank you and we will :)

**Hyungwon:** **  
** 💚

—

While waiting for room service to come with their ordered food (and they order a whole lot), Hyungwon decided to go out to their balcony with his camera to take a few pictures of the Eiffel Tower with the sunset as a natural backdrop. He still can't believe he had managed to convince his husband to come here despite having countless petty arguments about their honeymoon destination spot. The sky over Paris today resembles the cotton candy, the clouds are white and fluffy that complements the pinkish-orange sky well.

Once satisfied with the picture he took, Hyungwon comes back in wanting to show the older only to find that he had already fallen asleep while hugging a pillow close to him. Hyungwon can't help but coo at the adorable sight right in front of him. He places his camera down on the table nearby before he walks over to the older and sits right next to him on the bed, quietly admiring his sleeping husband.

His eyes casually look over at the shiny silver band on the older's fourth finger, recalling the moment he had slipped it into his finger before the older did the same as well. He unconsciously smiles at that memory as it brings back fragments of euphoria.

It was indeed a beautiful day.

He remembers how breathtaking Wonho looked standing down the aisle; his tuxedo over the lavender-colored dress-shirt underneath with his hair slicked back and wearing the purple necktie gifted from Hyungwon's parents. And he will never forget the utterly shocked look on Wonho's face when Hyungwon first appeared through the doors with pink-dyed hair. He had wanted it to be a surprise for Wonho and he was glad that it left the older speechless. But all in all, Wonho fucking loves it. The biggest smile was then spread across the older's face seconds after as the younger walked out down the aisle with his mother (since his father refused to walk with him). Hyungwon mirrored the same wide smile as he walked down the aisle, each step bringing them closer and closer to tying this bond between them into a sacred knot.

Funny enough all the memories of them together, from the moment they met leading up to where they were at that moment, started replaying in the younger's head. In all honesty, sometimes he has to pinch himself to truly believe that he is here, he is present and he is  _ happy _ . Years before he was so sure he was going to drown and he was okay with that. Now the mere thought of it all just makes his stomach churn. He was so close to losing all of this and he wonders how he was ever okay with it all.

However, as soon has Wonho took his hand and held them, Hyungwon was brought back to reality and all the dark memories fade replacing them with memories where only Wonho resides.

He also remembers every word uttered during their exchange of vows. Hyungwon cried when he first wrote his vow and he cried once again when he had recited them to Wonho. The older of course had his fair share of tears especially when he was reading his own vow to Hyungwon who was already a crying mess. They shared a sweet kiss that tasted salty from their tears but still managed to smile for each other and for their guests.

Hyungwon hadn't realise how wide he is smiling from that memory until he feels his cheeks ache a little. He pushes the older's long bangs away from his face, making the small pout on the older's lips visible. Hyungwon leans down and pecks his lips before rubbing his nose gently against the older's. A small whine elicits from the older and Hyungwon chuckles.

He didn't think he would ever deserve such happiness and to be honest, he still does have this fear at the back of his mind that it will all be taken away from him— _ again _ .

"I love you," Hyungwon whispers to the sleeping male, voice so close to wavering from the burst of happiness that's jumping in his chest. "Thank you, Hoseok," Hyungwon continues, planting another peck on his forehead this time as he caresses the older's cheek lightly.

"Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for not leaving me. Thank you for loving me," Hyungwon says, reciting these words he only wants the older's sleeping state to know. These sentiment-filled words where he only ever has the courage to say now because Wonho doesn't know the full extent of how much gratitude Hyungwon holds towards the older male.

And these words, maybe he'll tell Wonho someday in the future but for now, this much is enough.

"Thank you for saving me and for keeping me alive, Hoseok."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another sweet bonus chapter. I hope you enjoyed this😊  
> Take care everyone!💜


End file.
